


Lost and Discovered

by Sorentia



Series: Sunnydale Mutations [1]
Category: Buffy the Vampire Slayer, DC Universe Online, Marvel Cinematic Universe, X-Men (Movies)
Genre: Star Sapphire Corps, YAHF
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-22
Updated: 2016-09-29
Packaged: 2018-05-22 14:55:04
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 17
Words: 72,906
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6083946
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sorentia/pseuds/Sorentia
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Merrik knew Buffy Summers was not a Slayer shortly after he met her.  However he warned her to hide this fact in fear of what the council might do if her status was truly discovered.  Now her secrets are about to be discovered as Willow's own mutation comes to light.  If this was not enough the Scoobies have to deal with strange demon girl that escaped the portal to Acathla before it was closed.  Through all of this Xander is left wondering what he is to do amongst not just one, but multiple hot chicks with super powers.</p>
<p>Rated Mature just to be safe.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue

Disclaimer - I do not own DCUO, Marvel Comics, or Buffy the Vampire Slayer, nor any of the characters from those settings. I simply play in the sandbox of imagination and pray no one buries me. I'm making no money off of this story so please, don't sue me.  
  
   
  
Prolog - Desperate Times  
  
Lex reached back grabbing one of the brainiac drones that had managed to breach the perimeter by its head. With a frustrated growl, he twisted and threw it's mechanical body into a nearby wall. It had been nearly two hours since the battle had begun and they - he - was still no closer to a solution.  
  
"Damn it, Superman, if your incompetence continues to cost us time we will all end up lost," Lex raged as he turned back to his machines.  
  
Superman gave the man that had sworn himself to be his enemy a momentary glare before turning back to the battle at hand. He and several other heroes, and even villains had gathered to defend the growing portal that led to... well they were not sure where it led. The only thing that they knew was it was growing faster every minute it was opening and if Luthor's calculations were correct it would eventually swallow the Earth itself. Matters were only made worse when Brainiac detected the aperture and decided he wanted to explore it. The last thing anyone wanted was for the mechanized insanity, that was Brainiac, to gain access to an unknown dimension. Particularly one that appeared to be so steeped in magical power from what their mages and tech-minded people could tell them.  
  
"Ignore him, Kal-El," a slender petite woman said laying a hand on his shoulder for a moment. "He's as worried as anyone and lashing out."  
  
Superman let a blast of his heat vision loose on another of brainiacs drones as Batman flipped it into the air for him.  
  
"I know Annalyse, he just..." The Man of Steel sighed.  
  
"I know, just... trust me, his methods are wrong, I know that. But his intentions, his dreams... my Father wants to be the hero so badly and doesn't know how to."  
  
Superman just nodded. He had a hard time understanding how this young woman could be so compassionate towards Lex Luthor of all people. She called him Father, but was he really? How could a man be a Father to a half-Kryptonian half human genetic clone? Particularly this genetic clone who had gone on to become the first Kryptonian member of the Star Sapphires. It made little sense to him, or even the majority of the Justice League. Most of the original members still had troubles trusting the young woman, yet she had never once complained.  
  
Annalyse returned the nod and dove down to land next to her Father. "I'll keep you shielded, Father. Do your calculations and let's get this hole corked so we can go shopping like you promised," she said as she erected a barrier between them and the ceaseless battle around them.  
  
"Appreciated, I am almost done. Ingrates, if they had allowed me to begin as soon as I arrived instead of bickering like children," he began complaining as his hands danced across the holographic interface of his portable computer.  
  
"I know, and I've told all of them I intend to file a complaint. Still, if you had not tried to kill nearly all of them in the past..." Annalyse left the rest hanging as she gave her Father a look that crossed a grin and a glare together.  
  
Luthor muttered under his breath. Annalyse was not his biologically, but still, he had claimed her as his own child years prior after discovering the unauthorized experiments being performed. True he had tried cloning his own Kryptonian in the past, but he had authorized that. Experiments run by his people that he did not know about, even unofficially, he frowned on. As Annalyse would say, he was a control freak. Truthfully he knew this about himself all too well.  
  
What had baffled his allies was when his daughter had appeared as a caped and masked hero working against them. She had sided and joined with the members of the Justice League. Yet though she continued to discredit and denounce much of his own work and methods, she always spoke of her love for her Father and how his goals and ambitions were ultimately altruistic, if misguided.  
  
“Either I'm growing senile in my old age, or soft because sometimes I'm starting to believe her claims.” he thought to himself. Even when he did that stint in prison, she never stopped visiting him, and being his loving dutiful daughter.  
  
Finally, the computer beeped in his ear and the calculations were complete. He had the correct harmonic resonance to close the portal down and hopefully end this madness. Still he grimaced. According to his calculations, he couldn't close it from this side.  
  
"Annalyse, I'm going to have to go through to close it. The time variation is too unstable to close the portal from this side."  
  
His daughter tilted her head then started to shake it, "No, oh no you don't. They NEED you here Father. Who else is going to ensure the boy scout will do what is necessary to end this? The Bat?"  
  
Annalyse's own derision of her 'cousin' and his friend still amazed Luthor. She had sided with them, but she knew well how to end a threat permanently as well. And she was right, of those that led the JLA only Diana was truly capable of making such a decision, and even that was questionable after such a long period of relative peace. "Then who would you suggest? You know none of them would risk their lives based on my calculations. And I wouldn't trust any of my people that are intelligent enough to do what needs to be done."  
  
He was right of course. He could send Sinestro, though the foolish alien would likely refuse. Circe likely could do it with her magics if she could manage to pull her arrogance out of her own ass long enough to do so, once she got on the other side. Black Adam he didn't trust enough and his powers did not lend themselves to do what needed to be done. He had others in his employment that could perform the needed task, but none that were here now.  
  
"Give me the frequency. I'll close the portal."  
  
Luthor opened his eyes in shock. He should have expected it, she was willing to sacrifice anything, everything, even herself to achieve her goals in the past. It was a trait she had picked up from him he supposed. Still, he couldn't help but shake his head.  
  
"No, you are needed here to fight," he said flatly.  
  
"Yea right," she snorted in response. "Sorry Father, but of all the capes here I'm the most junior. I'm still learning how to use my power ring, I'm not nearly as powerful as Kal or Kara since I'm only half-Kryptonian, and don't even get me started on the reviews I've gotten as a squad leader. You, though, you can lead if you pull that stick outta your ass about the boy scout long enough to focus on the real threat. I know you, and I know you can help end this madness. Me, I'm just a soldier, you're a General."  
  
Luthor closed his eyes then nodded slowly. A few taps on the holographic keypad and a small pad ejected from his armor. He held it out to his daughter still tightly pressing his eyes shut. "The frequency is on there. Attune your ring to the proper range and it should seal the rift entirely."  
  
He felt Annalyse press a kiss to his cheek as she took the pad from him, "I know we didn't always agree, but thank you for raising me, Father. I love you and do believe in you," she whispered in his ear before turning and flying into the portal.  
  
Only moments later it shut behind her, sealing the one person he had cared for more than himself behind it. All around him the sounds of battle slowly receded until only a dim echo of the furious conflict remained. They had succeeded in keeping Brainiac contained to their reality. The loss in life numbered only one. 'Not dead,' Luthor thought, 'but surely lost.'  
  
Superman landed next to him and was quickly joined by Batman and Wonder Woman. Slowly Luthor took several breaths before he began to take a step away from the three would be saviors of mankind.  
  
"Where are you going Luthor, you're still wanted on several charges," Superman said as he grabbed the other man by the shoulder.  
  
Luthor froze and didn't move. Several more breaths came slowly before he opened his eyes for the first time since Annalyse took the pad from him. "Superman, I just sent my daughter on a one-way mission to save this planet. I just lost the only person who ever looked at me with nothing but love. And even though we came down on opposite sides in our little feud, do you know what her last words were to me? That she believed in me. So I would kindly ask you to remove your hand from my armor. I have a war to plan against Brainiac."  
  
His voice never rose above a whisper but all three heard the emotions buried beneath it. Slowly Superman lifted his hand and let Luthor step away. He didn't know, couldn't know if it was the right choice in the long run, but for today it was the only choice. To accept the last words of one of their own to their enemy. Her last words to her Father.


	2. Divergence

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So a few things to keep in mind. This follows the Buffy cannon series of events for the most part up until the end of Season 2, which is were this story picks things up. The one major difference up to this point is Buffy's age. In this AU she was called at 14, but was still a freshmen. She was held back a year after her expulsion and so began school in Sunnydale as a freshmen and Willow and Xander were freshmen. So the series of events in Season 2 would be Buffy's Soph' year and she is 16. This is important for the future of the story, though will make little immediate difference.
> 
> Any other divergences from cannon story line will be explained in story, and are less divergences and more additions too. Most of those will be centered around Buffy's time with Merrik.
> 
> So with that in mind, please, read, review, and let me know what you think. I'm open to any constructive critisism as this is my first fan fiction I have posted ever.

Chapter 1: Divergence  
  
   
  
Buffy looked up to Angel, tears threatening to spill down her cheeks, "Close your eyes."  
  
It was said with such love and tenderness. No guile nor deception entered her voice as she softly placed one finger on his lip. She knew she had to do this. She had to kill him; no, sacrifice him, to stop the portal from spreading. Even as she stepped away from him preparing to strike she could hear the voices beginning in her mind. Murderess, betrayer, failure.  
  
Then she was flying across the room.  
  
Angel's body slammed into her own, her sword, not yet in position to strike slicing across his hip. They rolled in a tangle of limbs and body parts before stopping against the wall.  
  
"Owwie... Father damn you. Didn't warn me about that," a female voice groaned from the pile of bodies Buffy had found herself a part of.  
  
The weight trapping Buffy at the bottom of the pile lightened as the third member of their impromptu game of king of the hill righted herself and rose to her feet. As Angel carefully rolled off then helped himself and Buffy to their feet she got her first glimpse of the being that came through.  
  
The stranger had already turned away from them, giving them her back. Blonde hair fell to her shoulders, razor straight, and lighter in color than Buffy's own. She looked to be no taller than Buffy herself, just over the five-foot mark and was clothed in a tight fitting outfit that covered her torso in a dark pink color. A pleated skirt swirled around her thighs black as midnight, the same with the high heeled boots that rose to just a few inches below the skirt. Black opera style gloves covered her hands and arms up to her biceps. All about the stranger, she could see a light, pink but a lighter tone than that of her top.  
  
"Well now... let's get this taken care off," the stranger's voice said softly as she lifted a slim device that looked like some sort of tablet in her right hand and placed the closed fist of her left against what Buffy thought was the screen.  
  
"What are you doing," Buffy asked, slowly regaining the equilibrium she had lost from the sudden spill onto the floor. Her hand tightened on the hilt of the sword she held, her feet sliding back into a fighting stance.  
  
Angel followed her lead, his own body moving into position as he slid sideways and around the stranger in their midst. Neither knew who or what this person was, but she came through the portal of Acathla. That alone was enough to place her on the 'slayee' list in Buffy's mind.  
  
The blonde glanced back at Buffy and Angel before turning back to the portal. That momentary glance was enough to stop both of them as both their eyes widened.  
  
"Trying to fix what you broke. Portals, never good you know. Even worse when you put your world in danger. Probably didn't even know where this one went to did you? Figures, curiosity, and cats. Still, would have thought better of you of all people," the stranger rambled. "Well, at least Father figured out how to close it. Good thing too. Would have been rather bad to let him through. Not Father, but well... anyway... going to need full power to close this thing."  
  
"What do you mean full power?" Angel asked as he carefully bent down to pick up the sword Angelus had been parted from.  
  
The stranger crouched down and set the tablet on the ground, ignoring the re-ensouled vampire. Standing her now free right hand reached out beside her and with a flash of light she was holding what looked like an old-fashioned lantern wrought of a dark pink metal. She held it before her, placing her left fist before it before speaking again.  
  
"For hearts long lost and full of fright," she began. The two watched as light started to emanate from the strange pink lantern.  
  
"For those alone in Blackest night."  
  
The light grew in intensity and the two champions looked to each other in concern and readied their weapons to strike.  
  
"Accept our ring and join our fight,"  
  
The two moved forward to strike with blade and fist. The light suddenly flashed brighter as the stranger called out the last line with a shout, blinding both and bringing them up short.  
  
"Love conquers all with violet light!"  
  
As Buffy and Angel blinked back the pink spots in their vision they watched the stranger lift her closed fist towards the still growing portal of Acathla. A violet light shot forward striking it in the middle. The stranger bore a look that was a strange mixture of serenity and concentration. Steadily the beam grew brighter as she poured energy into the portal and to the disbelief of both champions, the portal began to shrink. In seconds that felt like an eternity, the two watched as the stranger from the portal forced it closed.  
  
The stranger took a step back then lifted the lantern into the air and in another flash, it was gone from sight. She looked back and forth between the two of them then shook her head. "Next time you might not dial a number with someone so understanding. So let this be a lesson, no more portals. Now excuse me, but I need to... well, not be here I think."  
  
Buffy and Angel were quickly back to their feet as they studied the being between them. "No, I think you are where you are supposed to be," Buffy said as she let her sword hang loosely but still at the ready. "We have questions, you have answers. Now, make with the splainy."  
  
The stranger shook her head sadly, her eyes looking down to the ground before she lifted her gaze back to Buffy. "No, I've already explained enough. You opened a portal, I came and closed your mistake. Now I need to go. So if you will excuse me," she answered turning towards Angel.  
  
"I think you should answer her first. That was a portal to Acathla. It can't be closed except by the blood of the one who opened it," Angel stated calmly. "So whatever you did, you couldn't have closed it."  
  
The stranger rolled her eyes with a smirk, "Really? So you have a Ph.D. in computational physics and astrophysics? Perhaps a degree in Theoretical Wormhole physics? No? Well my Father does, and his calculations are what let me close that monstrosity. Good thing too. Now, excuse me, I need to find a bath."  
  
And with that, the figure suddenly shot straight into the air. She smashed through the floor above them, then through the ceiling, and in a streak of pink she vanished into the sky.  
  
The two champions stood open mouthed and blinking for a few moments. Angel recovered first and turned to Buffy. "Okay, glows, can close portals, and flys... what is she?"  
  
Buffy shook her head before turning to her boyfriend, "The better question is, why does she look like me?"


	3. Troubled Night

Chapter 2: Troubled Night  
  
   
  
Angel looked back from the impromptu skylight their visitor had made to look at Buffy. Her eyes were wide in shock still fixed on the point in space where the other girl had vanished from sight in the sky. The fact that Buffy had so quickly fixated on the fact the other woman looked similar to her worried him. As his memories from his time as Angelus slowly drifted back into his mind he remembered when Buffy had him dead to rights and let him go all because the monster wore his face. If this stranger was a threat, he would likely have to handle it himself to save her more psychological pressure.  
  
"I wouldn't say she looked exactly like you," he offered, hoping to head off any doubts right away. "Your eyes are hazel, hers were blue."  
  
Buffy blinked, slowly turning to face Angel. She looked like someone lost in a dream state to him for a moment before she quirked an eyebrow at him.  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"Her eyes, they were blue. Yours aren't," he repeated to her again.  
  
Buffy put her free hand on her hip and tilted her head to one side, "So because we have different eye colors she didn't look like me? Angel, come on. Can you honestly say she did not look like me at all?"  
  
Angel ran a hand through his hair as he mulled over his answer. 'At least she isn't focusing on what he did,' he thought to himself. Letting his hand drop down to his side he finally nodded to her, "Yeah, okay, she looked like you. Probably a shape-shifter demon of some sort."  
  
Buffy bit her lip and scrunched up her nose. The other girl hadn't felt like a demon to her. If it hadn't been for the strange light show or coming through a portal to a hell dimension she'd have sworn the other girl was human. The thought of her being a demon just didn't sit right with her for some reason; something she had said.  
  
"I'll have to see what....," Buffy started then trailed off. Suddenly her eyes began to water and her face fell as she remembered her friends, her mentor, and ultimately her mother.  
  
Seeing the teen's sudden descent into anguish Angel dropped the sword he had picked up and rushed to her side. Wrapping his arms around her trying to comfort her he made nonsense sounds as the tears spilled over. She sobbed into his chest when suddenly she pushed him away, anger spilling over onto her face as the tears continued to fall.  
  
"No, no, don't touch me. Don't. This is all our fault. Giles and Willow are hurt, the police are after me, and mom... oh god, mom.... what do I do? What do I do?"  
  
Buffy staggered away from him muttering over and over to herself. Angel, memories still blurred and hazed by his time as Angelus, took a few minutes to process what she was talking about. When it hit home he cursed loudly and turned to Buffy, "We'll figure it out. Together we can figure this out. You didn't kill Kendra, the police will ask the gang who attacked them and it will emphatically not be you. Giles and Willow, they... they will heal."  
  
Buffy took a deep breath trying to calm herself. The apocalypse was averted, yay her, but she still had a life to live. Angel was right, the police would have to give up chasing her eventually. With their only witnesses and victims all clearing her name, what else could they do?  It being the SPD she figured they would forget about the entire thing soon enough. Willow and Giles would heal. It was just a matter of time.  
  
Her mom was a different story. She had made it clear that if she left she was never to come back. She had been locked up once already when she told her parents about vampires and all the things that went bump in the night. Buffy had no illusions that unless she managed to act quickly, such a fate had a high probability of occurring yet again. Sure her mom had seen a vampire, but this was Sunnydale. The land of the weird and unusual being repressed on a daily basis.  
  
"Okay yea... healing of the good. And the cops getting off my back is all kinds of the good. Mom, though... I... when I left, to stop him, she said not to come back," Buffy finally said, carefully avoiding the name of Angel's alter ego.  
  
"Come on Buffy, you know your mom would never do that, she loves you," Angel responded in disbelief.  
  
Buffy shook her head turning back around to face Angel, "No, she would and did. Angel, I told her about being the Slayer. Last time... last time she had me locked up. Psyche ward. Never even came to visit me until I recanted and was being released. She was going to leave me in there Angel."  
  
Tears started to fall again as the realization hit her. She had no one left. Her dad had barely called all year, even ditching her on her weekend to spend with him for her birthday. Now her mom had thrown her away as well. Angel took her back into his arms and held he gently for a moment. Then he lifted her up into a bridal carry and took her into the bedroom in the mansion. Gently he laid her down, sitting next to her as he ran a hand in soothing circles over her back.  
  
"It's late, we can't do anything about any of it tonight. You're exhausted. So get some sleep and we can figure things out later," he said softly.  
  
Buffy nodded as she curled herself into his cool body, her eyes fluttering shut, "Just promise you'll be here when I wake up. I almost lost you tonight. So promise you'll be right here when I wake up," she pleaded as sleep started to threaten her consciousness.  
  
Angel ran one hand through her hair and nodded, "I'll be here Buffy, I promise."  
  
=============================================================================  
  
Annalyse hung in the night sky looking out over the town she had found herself in. At first, she found it to be unremarkable. A small ocean side town in what appeared to be California if she was any judge of climate and terrain. She had grown up in L.A. herself until her Father had moved her to Metropolis two years ago and the climate here had a similar feel.  
  
Then she started to really look at the town below her. She'd guess, based on the amount of residential areas she could  
see that it was home to some were between 30 and 40 thousand people. Not particularly large in the age of cities having populations that measure in the hundreds of thousands. What was out of place though was the infrastructure of the town. The port handled large ships that she had seen in larger ports during her time with the Justice League. Ships that would make regular trips between here and Hawaii and Asia. Then there was the warehouse district which nearly rivaled Gotham for the amount space and overall look of decay. To add to the odd sense of incongruity the town had several rail lines coming into and out of town, only one of which appeared to service what looked like a passenger station. The airport added to the feeling of wrongness along with the fair sized military base she spotted just outside the city limits during her fly over.  
  
"Way too much industry for such a small town," she said to no one in particular as she hung in the air.  
  
Deciding that it needed looking into she resolved to solve two problems at once. She needed somewhere to stay for the next few days while she figured out what she was going to do. She was decent with computers and with a few trips up to L.A. she should be able to find someone who could forge some papers for her. A little hacking and she should be able to get most of her paperwork 'legitimized'. Until then, however, the warehouse district would provide a chance to look around at one of the oddities of the city and hopefully find somewhere she could bed down for the night.  
  
Flying lower Annalyse headed for the warehouse's, seeking out the area that looked to be the oldest and least used. The odds of finding something abandoned here would be higher after all. Trying to decide which building she should check out she heard a scream from nearby.  
  
Without a thought Annalyse turned in the direction of the scream and took off, quickly zeroing in on the sound of a group of young women crying. Silently she thanked her mother for her Kryptonian heritage as she dropped down to a window that looked in on the floor of one of the warehouses. If it hadn't been for her better than human senses she'd likely have lost were the first scream had come from.  
  
Inside Annalyse saw a group of three girls, no older than herself if she had to guess, surrounded by twice as many men. The women were huddled together obviously terrified as the men circled closer to them. From where she was she could make out the face of only one of the men and what she saw she didn't like.  
  
"Demons," she muttered. "Figures what with an inter-dimensional portal opening up in this place."  
  
Not wasting time Annalyse stiffened the shield around her body that her ring perpetually generated while it was active and powered through the window. The demon things started looking up at her as the women screamed again.  
  
Lowering herself down to the floor Annalyse smiled brightly as she waved at the demons and women alike, "Hi, and welcome to tonight's game. Great prizes and cash rewards could be yours. But I'm sad to say only the boys can play," she gave the women a pout, "Sorry ladies, why don't you go on and skedaddle."  
  
One of the strange yellow eyed demons growled, "Oh they can play. Same as you. We got our own game, though, so why don't you come down here and we'll teach it to you."  
  
Annalyse put one finger to her chin and scrunched up her nose giving a look of serious thought and consideration to  
the offer. Finally, she shrugged, "Okay, sounds fun," she said, dropping to the ground. Without letting the yellow-eyed bumpy faced demons react she grinned and let her heat vision activate catching the one closest to the women in the chest.  
  
His friends blinked as he turned to dust then howled in rage. Annalyse only smiled as she formed a blade of violet energy with her ring. Her Father had teased her about watching too many Star Wars movies when he had first seen her preferred close in light-construct. That had ended quickly when he had seen the skill she had managed to acquire with it.  
  
"Self-cleaning demons, neat. They don't do that back home," Annalyse said lightly as she lifted her energy blade up and back, her free hand held out in front of her.  
  
Two of the demons sprung forward at her, their mouths twisted in snarls of rage. She side stepped the first, bringing her knee up to catch him in the stomach, and spun with her own momentum to bring her around and slamming her elbow into the face of the second demon.  
  
After having watched her cousin and mother hold back on their strength when fighting for so long Annalyse had decided when she joined the fight against Brainiac she would not do any such thing. She did not fight against normal baseline humans. She fought individuals who chose to use their abilities, either training or meta-powers, for their own gain. They sought to deprive others of the light, life, and love of the world just to make their own lives a little less dark. To Annalyse, a member of the Star Sapphires, such a thing was an abomination. So when she struck the first two vampires that she still thought of as demons it became a lesson in why Kryptonians are amongst the most feared individuals in her home universe.  
  
Her knee slammed into the first vampire snapping his spine clean in half. His limp, broken form shot backward and slammed into a stack of old pallets that had been left against the far wall. The pallets turned to dust as he drove through them, but managed to slow his speed enough that when he slammed into the outer corrugated metal wall of the warehouse he merely bent it outwards instead of ripping through it.  
  
The second vampire went ass over end as her elbow connected, driving home clean through pulping his skull and what passed for his brains. As his body flipped into the air feet up and head down he dusted and fell to the ground no longer a threat. Annalyse just smiled at the other three and twirled her energy blade in her hand.  
  
"So, how am I doing? Did I get the rules right," she asked with a perky voice.  
  
The remaining vampires looked to each other and suddenly got a clue. This small slip of a girl had just decimated three of their number so quick and no one had even managed to lay a finger on her. Two of them started to make a break for it, running in opposite directions. The third grabbed up one of the girls by the throat, holding her in front of himself.  
  
Annalyse sighed, "Now that's no fair. No running away."  
  
With a look at the vampire running left she let her eyes light up with crimson light yet again, turning him to ash. Without sparing the now dusty vampire a second glance she took off to her right. She was nowhere near as fast as Kal-El or her mother, but she was still faster over land than any human or vampire. In a blink, she was standing in front of the terrified creature. With a bright smile on her face, he turned to dust as she lashed out with her blade separating his head from the rest of his body.  
  
"And then there was one," she chirped turning to look at the last standing vampire.  
  
"Back off or I'll kill her," the vampire said, trying to keep his voice steady.  
  
Annalyse tilted her head to the side in consideration, then tilted it the other way. "Way I see it if I do nothing you will kill her anyways, demon," she said in a matter of fact tone. "So tell me why I should let you walk away with her?"  
  
The vampire seemed stumped on that one. That one moment of distraction when his brain froze up was all she needed to cross the twenty or so feet between them. Her hand wrapped around the vampire's throat and squeezed. With her Kryptonian strength his trachea collapsed into a spray of blood and in shock, he dropped the girl. Not sparing a moment's thought Annalyse brought her energy blade around and removed the vampires head.  
  
As the dust settled from the five dead vampires and the whimpering sounds from the sixth echoed through the building Annalyse turned to look at the three girls. With a bright smile, she gave them a little wave, "Hi, and thanks for playing."  
  
The women turned white and ran out into the night, never looking back. After a few minutes, she heard the sounds of a car starting and the tires squealing against the pavement. Satisfied that they would get home safely she turned and walked over to broken vampire still imprinted into the wall.  
  
"So, let's have a little chat, why don't we," she said to him, still smiling brightly.


	4. Sparks

Chapter 3: Sparks  
  
Willow lay in bed, her eyes still closed despite the faint hints of sunlight creeping past the edges of the blinds. She was still sore from her rather unpleasant run in with Angelus' hench-vamps and tired from the spell to re-ensoul the master vampire. The two together had her currently faking being asleep as someone she didn't know sat beside her bed. She was in no mood to play twenty questions with whoever was, and since they had been sitting there since she had slowly been drug from the oblivion of sleep she decided they weren't a threat.  
  
Still, they were getting rather annoying and not leaving.  
  
Willow was unsure how long she had been laying there feigning sleep before she got fed up with it and started trying to discreetly reach for the buzzer she knew should be sitting near her hand. Failure at stealth became obvious when a hand suddenly closed around hers. It took nearly all of Willows willpower to keep from screaming as the much larger hand closed over hers.  
  
"I don't think you need to be doing that just yet," her unknown visitor said, taking the buzzer and sliding it away from her hand as he kept his grip on her. "Just need to talk is all Miss Rosenberg."  
  
Being caught had its advantages, Willow decided. It meant she could do something about the cramp she was starting to get in her butt and move. Shifting into a more comfortable position she looked over at the previously unseen man. He was pretty average, overall. About 6 foot tall, older, or prematurely balding, in a brown suit and tie. He didn't look evil, persay, but then again neither did Angelus until he went game face. So Willow had what was the only reasonable reaction to the situation.  
  
"Talk, to me? But why would you want to talk to me? I mean, I'm like the least talky to person type person anyone knows. Just ask Cordelia, or Xander, or Giles, or Buffy. I mean, ask anyone at my school. I'm just me, plain old not talky to person Willow. Nothing to see, nothing to talk to. Just go about your business ignoring the not talky person. Maybe you should go talk to a nurse? I'm sure they love to talk. Not that I would know myself since I am like the last person anyone would talk to," she rambled out without a single breath.  
  
As she paused to catch her breath, the man quickly interrupted her, "Oh I'm sure I want to talk to you, Miss Rosenberg. See, my name is Detective Stein, and I need you to answer some questions."  
  
Willow stopped and actually looked at the man claiming to be one of Sunnydale's finest. Narrowing her eyes she tried to figure out why he was here. As far as she knew everyone had already given their statements to the police. It was a done and over thing. Such a done and over thing, it wasn't even a thing anymore. More caution and distrust than curiosity entered her voice as she looked the man over, "Badge, Shield Number, and I.D. Please."  
  
Detective Stein had the good graces to look a bit shocked to be called out by the teen. Without comment, he reached into the outer pocket of his suit coat and pulled out the small leather billfold he kept his badge in. He flipped it up and moved to flip it closed again when Willows hand shot out and plucked it out of his hand.  
  
"Mmm.. seems authentic," she said, reaching over to the nightstand on the other side of the bed and grabbing the pen and pad of paper Oz had left for her the previous night. "Still not seeing picture I.D. so this could be stolen I suppose." She started to jot down the Badge number without looking up. "Photo I.D. on who you are please?"  
  
Detective Stein was getting frustrated. He had never had a child question who he said he was. It was infuriating to him that she would demand he prove he was a Detective with Sunnydale. "I don't see how that is necessary," he started as he dug his I.D. out and handed it over to her.  
  
Taking the ID from the man she looked at it closely, then back to the Detective a few times before handing both it and the badge back to him, "I just got attacked by several gang members on PCP. Pardon me for being paranoid that you might be a reporter. We had one try to get in last night. He was being all reportery, wanting to know who the gang was that attacked us. My boyfriend had to get all protective and chase him out."  
  
Detective Stein saw the opening he had been hoping for and smiled slightly, "That's actually why I am here, Miss Rosenberg."  
  
Willow, deciding at that moment to jump down the completely wrong track, smiled brightly, "Oh really? That's wonderful. If you hurry up and get a sketch artist in here I can describe him for you. Maybe you can find him still skulking around down in the waiting area. Reporters like to do that don't they? When they get all reportery they like to skulk? Maybe you could get him on malicious skulking? Or maybe medical malpractice since he quite upset me and I'm not supposed to be upset when I'm in a hospital. I think thats pretty much part and parcel of being in a hospital isn't it? But how do you not get upset in a hospital? You are only there when you are sick, injured, or someone else is. Sick or injured that is. I mean, can someone just be? I supposed if you're a buddist monk you can be. Are you buddist, Detective?"  
  
Stein sat open mouthed for a few moments trying to parse the vast amount of random questions and information. It took him some time to finally figure out that none of it was important before he shook his head, "No, no I'm not buddist. And I'm not here about the reporter though I'll look into it if you want. I'm here about Buffy Summers."  
  
Smiling brightly, Willow nearly bounced in bed before her body reminded her how sore it was. "Really? Have you heard from her? Oh, I can't wait to see her again. I mean, I'm sure she'll be sad because she totally broke up with her boyfriend recently. But I mean, that's like normal type sad. Not the totally crazy sad she was when the cops tried to arrest her. I mean, come on, arrest Buffy? For what, she's like so completely awesome. Silly police, they should learn not to listen to trolls after all."  
  
Stein gritted his teeth trying not to lose his temper as the redhead went into another of her breathless rambles. He couldn't understand how someone could talk so much and manage to say so little. "Well, she is a murderer. That's a good reason for arresting her. And she attacked you and your friends," he said as calmly as possible.  
  
Detective Stein, who had no clue what so ever about the nightlife in Sunnydale, was clueless he had just poked a bear with a stick. Willow's eyes grew stormy as she glared at the Detective, her face settling into something her friends were quite familiar with as she lit into him, her voice tight and controlled, just this side of screaming at him.  
  
"Now listen here Mister Detective person. Buffy did NOT attack anyone. Buffy did NOT kill anyone. She wasn't even there when those mean poopy heads came in and hurt us. So why don't you take yourself out and do something useful? Like arresting a poodle."  
  
As soon as she finished speaking Willow was in a bit of a shock. She was still infuriated that someone thought Buffy would hurt her. Buffy was her best friend after all. She just did not know where that sudden urge to smack him silly and rip him a new one came from. As she kept her resolve face firmly in place she watched the older man closely and saw he was just as baffled and shocked by her response as she was.  
  
"No Miss Rosenberg, I know you might be scared. If you tell me the truth, I can provide you with protection," he started in again.  
  
There was no mistaking it this time. Willows anger shot up a few more notches and her tightly controlled voice started to crack, "I will tell you one more time. The same thing I told the nice police officers that talked to me last night. Buffy did not in any way have anything to do with the attack last night. Now I would kindly ask you to let me rest. Visiting hours are over."  
  
Growing frustrated with his lack of progress Stein leaned forward, his voice going cold as he tried to intimidate the teen before him, "Now listen here. I am a Detective in this city. You will tell me why Buffy Anne Summers attacked your group or I will have you arrested for obstruction of justice, do you hear me."  
  
Willow's eyes narrowed down as she stared directly back at him. All around the sound of electrical sparks came from the monitoring equipment nearby. A heart monitor, which was not even connected to her, began to suddenly show a vastly elevated heart rate. An oxygen monitor claimed her blood oxygen levels were over 200 percent. The lights, which had been off, suddenly began to flicker in the room.  
  
Willow was not intimidated. She had faced vampires and demons and lived. She helped hunt the things in the night. She was not going to let some petty little man who wanted to make a name for himself threaten her or her friends. "I'd suggest you leave before I start screaming Detective. As it is I will be calling the police department to file a formal complaint of harassment and witness intimidation against you. If you do not go, and quick, I'm sure I can add inappropriate touching to that list. After all, I woke up to some scary older guy holding my hand."  
  
Stein was about to open his mouth, completely oblivious to the carnage being wrought on the electrical equipment around him; Sunnydale hospital was old after all. What else could you expect from their equipment? He was stopped when there was a sound at the door of someone trying to get in. Both current occupants of the room started at the sound as the attempts to get in were quickly replaced by pounding and the voice of a nurse from outside frantically screaming for help.  
  
Detective Stein quickly rushed over to the door he had locked when he came in early that morning. Willow blinked and every piece of sparking equipment in the room, the lights included, suddenly dropped back to their quiet death like states.  
  
Once the door was unlocked it was slammed open by Giles. He rammed the Detective up against the wall with a gleam in his eye that Willow had rarely seen. The Detective was a threat to his children, and Ripper was more than pleased to peak out from behind the mask of a proper English gentlemen glare at the Detective.  
  
Immediately behind him came the nurse, who rushed over to start checking on Willows vitals. After the nurse came a man Willow had never seen.  
  
He was under six foot tall by a few inches and was dressed in an immaculate black suit. Even with her limited knowledge of fashion, much less men's fashion, Willow could practically smell the money coming off that outfit. His black hair, thick and immaculately styled added to the look. He carried a briefcase, which he swung up onto the other bed in the room and promptly opened it. He pulled several pieces of paper out then turned to the Detective with a grim smile.  
  
"Here is your notice of a restraining order, Detective, effective immediately you are to stay at least five hundred yards from Buffy Summers, Willow Rosenberg, Rupert Giles, Cordelia Chase, and Alexander Harris at all times. Additionally, you will find papers from the District Attorneys office officially closing any investigations into Buffy Summers in regards to the regrettable incident the previous night. If it is found out you have any further contact with the minors involved in this case you will discover your shield will not protect you. Now do be a good sport and get yourself home would you," the mystery man's cultured English voice told the Detective.  
  
Mumbling the Detective turned and left, glaring at both Giles and Willow before storming out. Willow had to swallow a hysterical urge to giggle at the way the British stranger had put him in his place.  
  
"Thank you, Robert. I don't expect we'll have any further problems," Giles said turning to the other man after the Detective left.  
  
Nodding Robert held his hand out for Giles and they shook, "Not a problem old chap. Always happy to help the council. If you do need any more help, just call. You know I love to imagine Travers' face whenever he gets my bills."  
  
Giles chuckled and nodded, moving over to Willow as both Robert and the nurse left. He smiled at the young girl and that was when she noticed how weary he was. Several of his fingers were wrapped in splints and his face a myriad of bruises.  
  
"Giles, you shouldn't be up. Oh, gods, you're hurt. Sit, you should sit," Willow started babbling in worry for the watcher.  
  
Smiling at her he nodded and sat down gingerly at her bedside. "Yes, you are quite right. I am sorry about that, he wasn't supposed to be let into your room."  
  
Willow returned the smile with one of her own and a nod, "Yea, I figured the hospital had a no creepy stalkery cops rule. But what he was saying, and then what you were saying. Did you really manage to get things straightened out for Buffy? Cause Buffy so wouldn't look good with the fugitive look. I mean, Cordy might be able too, but Buffy she would look all wrong like that."  
  
"Yes, yes, I believe it is taken care off. Fortunately, the council does have some experience with human law interfering with the work of the Slayer. So they keep lawyers on retainer for just such an occasion. I had Xander call him while I was being seen too when he brought me in this morning. Robert moved quickly and managed to get the entire investigation moved away from Buffy. I'm not entirely sure how, or if I even want to know. I'm not entirely sure the man is entirely human."  
  
Willow giggled at the lawyer joke and shook her head, "Giles you're making jokes. Don't do that, Buffy might think you're broken."  
  
   
  
"Yes, quite. Speaking of Buffy, we have another problem concerning her," Giles told the red head as he leaned back in the chair, removing his glasses to clean. "It seems that at some point last night she told her mother she was the slayer. Her reaction was... not kind."  
  
"Not kind? But Mrs. Summers has always been of the kind. What did she do?"  
  
Giles set his glasses down as he realized how clumsy he was trying to clean them with multiple broken fingers. Without the use of his hands, he fidgeted for a moment before taking a breath, "She kicked Buffy out. Told her to never return home. When she called me this morning she told me in no uncertain terms that if her daughter continued her 'nonsense' about being a vampire slayer she would, 'take steps'."  
  
Willow went white at the thought, "Take steps, but what does that mean?"  
  
"I don't know, my dear girl. I fear though I might be employing Roberts expertise more in the near future to ensure it doesn't happen."  
  
================================================================  
  
Across the country, a man suddenly shot up out of his bed. Sweat beaded down his face as he took several deep breaths trying to calm himself. After a few minutes without success, he swung his feet over the edge of the bed and stood up.  
  
He quickly made his way across the tiny economy apartment to the bathroom and started the cold water in the sink. A few splashes of it into his face and he started to calm down a little. Looking at his reflection in the mirror he shook his head trying to make sense of what he had seen.  
  
Turning away, he stepped back over to the bed and quickly began to dress. Once clothed in his worn and wrinkled suit he looked around and muttered quietly to himself, "What the hell did they do this time?"  
  
With that thought, he picked up the bowler hat from the nightstand and headed for the door, plans already forming in his mind to try and fix whatever they had broke out in Sunnydale, yet again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alrighty, so this was edited using the Grammarly program that Chadmaako suggested. Wonderful little tool, so thank you much for its suggestion! Since this work is so new I may go back and use it to edit the prologue and the first two chapters when I have the time. Hope you all enjoyed this.


	5. Words Spoken

Chapter 4: Words Spoken

 

It was mid afternoon before Giles, Willow, and Oz had arrived at the Crawford Street mansion looking for Buffy. They stepped out of Oz's van and looked up at the old and impressively large home for a few minutes, gathering their thoughts. They had not seen or heard from Buffy all day, which worried them greatly. On the other hand, the world had not been sucked into hell. That meant that she had to have succeeded in stopping Acathla from awakening.

Finally drawing up his courage to enter the mansion again, though just the night before he would have sworn he'd never do so willingly, Giles put his hands on the shoulders of the two younger children.

"Come now, let us see what we find. I'm sure she is inside," he encouraged the other two.

Willow nodded then took Oz's hand as the three of them approached the front door, "Yea, she has to be alright. I mean, not in hell, so yeah."

Reaching the door Giles stopped looking pensive for a moment. He debated on just walking in, but instead knocked heavily on the thick oak door that served as the front entrance. The sound reverberated even outside, each knock causing Willow to wince. Oz wrapped his arm around his girlfriend giving her a gentle squeeze of comfort.

It took several minutes but they could hear the sound of someone moving around inside. A flash of a heavy thick curtain on the first floor caught their attention for a moment before the door opened before them. With no one standing in their immediate sight, the trio looked uneasily between them.

"If you are coming in then hurry," a familiar voice called from behind the door.

Giles nearly fell over in shock. It was Angelus, or if Willow's spell had worked as she insisted, Angel re-ensouled. He glanced over at the young redhead and found himself being pushed to the side suddenly as she rushed in, heedless of any danger. When nothing seemed to strike out to kill her Giles and Oz followed at a more sedate pace.

Once all three entered the door closed behind them. Angel stood against the wall where he had been blocked by the door. Grimacing he looked between all three of them, "She's upstairs, still asleep," he said as he wrung his hands together. "Go check on her first, so you know I didn't hurt her. Once she's up, we need to talk."

Willow's eyes grew wide upon hearing Angel's words, her lip starting to tremble a little as she spoke softly, "It's you, isn't it? It really worked, I stuck it back in."

Angel nodded to her his eyes barely able to meet those in front of him, "Yes, It worked. I... thank you, Willow. Thank you for saving me from myself."

Giles cleared his throat, not entirely sure what to believe. Glancing around he noted the blade was removed from the statue that was Acathla however and his gaze quickly narrowed in on the ensouled vampire, "I suppose one of the things you want to discuss is why the sword is missing from Acathla and why you are not dead?"

Angel nodded, running a hand through his hair, "That, and a few other things. I'll stay here, Buffy is in the first bedroom on the right up the stairs. Go, check on her, and if you can trust me," he paused a moment, biting down on the inside of his cheek at the thought of any of them trusting him ever again, "If you can trust her long enough for us to tell you what happened, I'll stay. After, I'll let you all decide what to do."

Willow nodded giving Angel a brief smile as she pulled the non-chalont Oz along with her towards the stairs. Giles though kept his gaze on Angel for several moments, then started heading towards the stairs, not once letting the vampire entirely out of his sight.

 

======================================================================

 

Buffy had woken grumpy. She had not slept well in the last several weeks and had been trying to catch up on some of that missing sleep. Her agreement to come downstairs had only been reached by Oz's promise to go fetch coffee for the sleepy girl. Her mood did not appreciably improve until said coffee was delivered to her. It still took another two hours to go over the events of the previous night. In particular, the strange woman shaped person who had come through the portal then promptly closed it.

"So she just left, after closing the portal with some form of magic," Giles asked flabbergasted, "And you didn't try to stop her?"

Buffy audibly growled at the watcher, "I didn't have much choice. It's not like I can fly. See the sunroof? It's not supposed to be there."

Giles took off his glasses and began to clean them, the soothing motions allowing him to stop and think. "Yes, quite. Nothing to be done about that. It is distressing though I'm sure we'll have to do some research and find out who she was. You are sure she wasn't a demon?"

Buffy shrugged her shoulders and glanced at Angel, "I didn't sense anything demonic about her. Angel?"

Angel shook his head, "No, she didn't smell like a demon. She smelled human, sort of. Like she was only part human and part something else. Just not any sort of demon I've ever smelled before if she was one."

Willow sipped her coffee and leaned back against Oz as he wrapped his arm around her shoulder, "Well, we'll look in the books, see if we can find anything."

Giles nodded his agreement then looked up to Buffy and let out a breath, "In the meantime, we have a more immediate problem to deal with. Your mother called me in the early hours of the morning. I was told that if you did not stop with the nonsense about being the slayer she would, erm.. take steps."

Buffy's eyes slammed shut as she practically crawled into Angel's skin as she started to shake. Silence hung for a time before the first silent sob was heard. Angel wrapped his arms around her as he tried to gently rock her. While no one could understand her, they all could hear the faint mumblings coming from their distraught friend.

"Buffy," Giles finally began in a gentle voice, "I do not know what steps she means to take. I can only promise you we will do all we can to help you."

The blonde finally looked up, her eyes thick with tears, "She'll want to do what she did last time. Psyche ward. She and Dad had me locked up for months until I recanted about seeing vampires when I burned down the gym at Hemery High."

Willow gasped and Oz only pulled her closer to himself. Angel continue to hold the blonde as he softly ran his hand along her back. Giles began cleaning his glasses once more, muttering under his breath.

Returning his glasses to their place he looked across to Buffy, his voice growing hard and cold, "I'll be damned before I let that woman do that to you."

"How can you stop her," Buffy whimpered, "I'm a minor, she's my mom. She takes me to a hospital and says I'm demented or delusional they'll lock me up."

"Simple, we remove you from her care," Giles answered. "You are sixteen, she kicked you out of your home. I'm sure that if we present it properly we could have a judge sign off on your emancipation from her rather quickly. In the mean time, it would stop her from attempting to have you hospitalized."

Buffy bit her lip, the tears seeming to come faster, "Is that the only option? Kick my mother out of my life?"

Giles sighed and leaned back in his seat, pinching the bridge of his nose, "I don't see how we have much of a choice. Either we remove her from a position of authority over you, or you take the risk she really will lock you up. I don't know what else there is."

"Just because you emancipate yourself, doesn't mean you have to cut her out completely, Buffy," Willow said to her friend. She leaned forward out of Oz's embrace and set a hand on Buffy's knee. "I mean, in time, she'll come around. She's your mom, she loves you and wouldn't want to not be a part of your life, right?"

Sighing, Buffy nodded, snuggling deeper into Angel's lap, "I don't know Willow. She threw me out this time and last time she and Dad locked me up. I just...," Buffy let out another sigh as she paused gathering her thoughts, "I just want her to understand I guess. She's not going to, or at least not soon, and I can't take that risk. Sure, summers are quiet here, usually, but there's no telling how long it would take to get her to see reason."

"Well, look at it this way," Oz finally spoke up, "Maybe if she see's what length you are willing to go, she'll reel it back in. If not." He shrugged as if that meant everything.

"Alright, Giles, you had a lawyer clear me and get a restraining order against that Detective. Think he could start things rolling on the emancipation, just in case we need to go through with it?"

Giles nodded and stood up, "Yes, that I can do. As soon as I get home I'll call him and get him started. For now, though, you need to eat. You've been here since late last night and I am sure you haven't had anything. So come on, we'll go out to breakfast and we can talk some more."

While the others stood and started out the door towards Oz's van, the thought of food driving them, Giles stood back for a moment. Once out of earshot of them he turned to Angel and lowered his voice to barely above a whisper, "I know that Willow has re-ensouled you. I also have doubts about just how little, or how much I should say, influence you had on your demonic half. The simple fact that I am walking today leads me to believe that despite the loss of your soul if that is indeed what occurred, you had some measure of control over Angelus."

Angel moved to protest but Giles quickly cut him off, "No, whatever you are going to say, don't. Don't misunderstand me, I have not trusted you from the moment we discovered what you really were. However, Buffy did and seemingly does in spite of all that occurred. Willow seems to as well, for reasons I'm sure only a teenage girl can understand. Xander, on the other hand, does not. I would not be surprised if he doesn't intend to hold a grudge against you, and I cannot entirely fault him. I would keep that in mind when you decide what your plans are to be in the future."

Giles removed his glasses and polished them once again, taking a moment to collect the rest of his thoughts before continuing.

"I believe, regardless of what it is you do stay or leave, it would behoove everyone if your relationship with Buffy remains platonic. She said she was prepared to kill you to close the portal. I do not think she would hesitate to kill you if you turned on us again. That would destroy her, though. You and I both know it. So in the interest of keeping my slayers mind intact, keep it in your pants, as the Americans say. In the meantime, perhaps we should look further into this curse of yours and discover exactly what it does and what it's limits are."

Angel stood still, not even attempting to appear normal or alive as he forgot to breathe or make those subtle gestures and motions that indicate life. Shaking his head to snap out of his shock he nodded to Giles, "Yea, finding out what exactly is going on with the curse is a good idea. As for Buffy, I... When the time comes, after this mess with her mother is straightened out, will you help me?"

Giles raised an eyebrow towards Angel, "Help you with what?"

The vampire sighed and looked away as if seeking courage, "Help me break up with her. I don't want to shatter her heart any more than it already has been. I'd have done it today, planned on telling her we couldn't be together so long as my soul was at risk until your revelation of just how serious Buffy's mother is. I leave her now, it may break her, having one more person seemingly abandon her."

Giles nodded sympathetically to the vampire, "At least you are using your head. Honestly, we do not even know for sure if she will want to continue a relationship with you. You are right, though, you leaving now would only weaken her further. We'll see her through this, then we'll go from there. I'll call some of my contacts in England and see if we cannot arrange to have one of the members of a coven I know to come and inspect the curse until then."

Angel started to reply then a shout came from outside, "Come on I'm hungry already," Buffy yelled.

The two men found themselves both grinning at Buffy's complaint before nodding to each other. Giles left to join Buffy and the others in the van, leaving Angel alone in the mansion.


	6. Artificial Slayer

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologize that this took me so long to get out. First the blasted thing was just giving me fits on getting it started. Then I had several conversations that didn't feel right to me. THEN prior to having saved my first rough draft I was playing Skyrim and my computer decided it wanted to freeze up when I was attacked by a Dragon, four Vampire Hunters, two Werewolf Hunters, and a group of Storm Cloaks in less than 5 minutes time. So the first draft went bye bye. It took me awhile to finally get going and, in the end, I chose a completely different direction with this chapter. Or at least with how I got to where I needed to go. I hope you all enjoy it.
> 
> And no, Buffy is not a Jedi. Though there may end up being similarities.

A/N: I do not own Starwars and No Buffy is not a Jedi.  
Additionally, I want to thank hmhughes for writing the new summary of the story for me based off my original summary over on AO3.  He did a much better job of condensing it down to 255 characters than I did.  Thank  you!!  
  
Chapter 5: Artificial Slayer  
  
Buffy had been at his apartment for three nights now. She had not left and had only barely spoken to her friends when they came by to visit. Giles had noted how she was especially cold towards Xander though he was not sure why. In an effort to get her to at least do something with herself and break out of the depression she was in he had resorted to calling Angel. The ensouled vampire had come by that evening just after sundown and convinced Buffy to go out on patrol with him.  
  
It was nearing on five hours since she had left. Worry ran through Giles spine with every minute that passed though he couldn't say why. He knew that the summer months were unusually quiet around Sunnydale though no one was certain why. Even Angel had only offered the thought that the later times the sunset could be the reason. Still he paced his apartment's small living room with concern. There was no logical reason for it.  
  
When the front door finally opened at just past three in the morning Giles nearly jumped out of his skin. He quickly moved towards the door as he heard Angels frantic voice calling for him.  
  
"Giles, I need you to invite me in. Hurry."  
  
The sight just outside his front door made his blood run cold. Angel was a picture of cuts and bruises that were already well on their way to healing thanks to vampire constitution. Judging by the state of the visible wounds and the amount of blood there seemed to be the cuts had to have been quite deep when he first suffered them.  
  
Then all thoughts of Angels battle wounds fled Giles mind as he realized not all the blood was his. In his arms he held a limp and barely conscious Buffy. Her face was a tapestry of bruises, welts, and cuts. Her top, once green, was now nearly black from the soaked in blood.  
  
"Yes, come in Angel," Giles invited, stepping aside to allow the vampire to carry Buffy to the couch. Giles himself hurried to the bathroom and retrieved the first aid kit he kept there. Kneeling by Buffy he started to gingerly clean Buffy's wounds. They were a multitude of lesser and non-lethal injuries that added up to a rather severe beating she had taken.  
  
It took nearly an hour to finish cleaning the now sleeping girl. As Giles gathered his medical supplies he turned to Angel his voice cold and demanding, "Now what in the bloody hell happened Angel? I trusted her with you tonight and you bring her back nearly dead!"  
  
Angel looked to Buffy and shook his head, "I don't understand it either. There were only three of them. One was good, really good, the other two were middling average. I had my sword with me so I took the better of the three. By the time I was done with him Buffy was on the ground. I had to finish the other two off myself before I could bring her back here."  
  
Angel paused and looked back to Giles, his face impassive and his eyes wrought with concern, "I didn't see her entire fight, only a little bit. At first, she was fine, just like she had been all night. Then... it was like she wasn't the slayer. She slowed down; wasn't hitting as hard. Her skill was still there, but it was like she didn't have the power to back the training up."  
  
A brief flash of concern flashed across Giles face before he could force it back to the mask of terror and concern, "Yes, well we will have to research what happened in the morning. Hopefully her lack of power will not affect her healing and she will be able to answer some questions about what happened to her then." Giles paused for a moment, glancing between Buffy and Angel until making up his mind and placing a friendly hand on the vampire's shoulder. "Thank you," he said, his voice more contrite than at first, "for watching over her tonight."  
  
Angel nodded, sparing one more look at Buffy before turning to head home before the sun rose and trapped him in Giles apartment.  
  
===============================================  
  
   
  
Buffy's eyes fluttered open to find herself laying on the couch in extreme pain. All over her body felt like a thousand tiny blades cutting her none stop. Her first hitching breath reminded her that she had at the very least bruised her ribs. Though she didn't see Giles she could hear someone in the kitchen. Afraid to even sit up she turned her head slightly with a grimace of pain.  
  
Spotting her backpack on the other side of the room she moaned. Resolving herself to answer questions she didn't want asked she called out tentatively, "Giles?"  
  
Her question was met with the sound of a stool clattering to the floor followed by what was likely a teacup shattering on the linoleum. A few moments of muttering later and Giles entered into the room, a grim expression on his face.  
  
"Buffy, oh I'm so sorry my dear girl. Why are you awake, you need to sleep to get that horrid concoction out of your system. I never believed they would do this I swear to you," he began rambling in a tone of worry almost worthy of Willow.  
  
"Giles," Buffy groaned out, "Giles calm down. Get... get my bag. I need it."  
  
Seemingly not hearing her Giles continued on his rambling, "The test wasn't supposed to be until your eighteenth birthday. Always then they test slayers, or that is what they claimed. Now though I'm beginning to suspect otherwise. Copies of the watchers journals I have have proven they do not always wait. It's rare, but more often that I would expect. Sometimes they give the test early. Occasionally the watcher doesn't even know until after it has happened."  
  
"Giles!" Buffy's shout cut the watcher off as she groaned with the exertion. "Giles," she said more slowly, "I need my backpack. Need to fix this. Give me my bag. Explanations later."  
  
Finally Buffy's insistence soaked through the panic driven concern of the watcher. Blinking owlishly he turned to the backpack in question then back to Buffy. "The backpack? I dare say nothing in there can counter the drugs they gave you, Buffy. I'm not sure what can."  
  
Gritting her teeth in the face of his lack of understanding Buffy just gestured at the backpack again while pushing herself into a sitting position. Relenting Giles fetched the backpack for Buffy and brought it to her. Setting it in her lap she opened it and started to dig around for a few moments. What she withdrew only served to confuse Giles even further.  
  
It was a small thin crescent of metal. Perhaps a quarter of an inch in thickness and four inches across it looked like a gleaming silver model of the moon. Giles was further confused when Buffy reached behind her head and under her hair with one hand and produced a second copy of the crescent. Dropping the one she removed from her head she reached back and pressed the second crescent to the back of her head at the bottom of her skull just above where it and her spine connected.  
  
An audible click and whirr could be heard along with a sigh of relief from Buffy. Closing her eyes she gingerly moved herself to sit cross-legged on the couch as he had tried to teach her to do to meditate. The effect was immediate. Giles watched as Buffy's many wounds, which had not healed at all during her sleep, began to close before his eyes. The worst of the injuries began closing and healing first, then the larger bruises, and last the minor scratches. In under 10 minutes she looked no worse for the wear.  
  
When Buffy's eyes flicked back open they found Giles watching her carefully and cleaning his glasses. The look on his face made it clear he didn't know what to think of what he witnessed her do. It was not an expression she had ever wanted to see on the face of the man who had been more of a father to her than Hank had been.  
  
Sighing sadly she picked up her backpack and moved to go into the kitchen. Giving Giles a glance she motioned to the other room with a nod, "Let me get some food, Giles. Then I'll explain what I can."  
  
Giles nodded and followed after the girl who's safety and welfare had been in his hands for two years. In that two years he had rarely been truly concerned beyond that of an adult to a child in his care. There was the time with the Master and more recently during the affair with Angelus. Now though he felt a knot in his stomach well up that sent a fear through him he had never felt before.  
  
It took only a few minutes of searching for Giles and Buffy to both realize if she wanted to eat breakfast something would have to be cooked. Fearing for the safety and his security deposit, Giles decided he should cook them both breakfast. Twenty minutes later the two sat at the kitchen bar with a plate of scrambled eggs, bacon, and sausage.  
  
Giles watched in fascination at how easily Buffy put away the food before her. In no time at all she had finished a breakfast of four eggs, four sausage links, and a half dozen pieces of bacon. He had barely ate a quarter of his own by the time she was downing the cup of milk she had poured for herself.  
  
"Excuse me," Buffy said as she let out a quiet belch. "The healing takes more energy than anything else and that energy has to come from somewhere." Looking across at Giles she motioned to his plate, "So hurry up and don't let it get cold or I'm apt to steal yours too."  
  
Nodding Giles took another bite of his eggs then looked up at Buffy, "What was that artifact you used on yourself? I've never seen something like that, and there were no runes or inscriptions on it that I could see? What sort of magic is it?"  
  
"It's not magic," Buffy told him as she stood to rinse her plate and put it in the dishwasher. "Well, no more so than what is explained by Clark's law. It's technology. A neural enhancement cybernetic kinetic system to be exact. N.E.C.K. for short. Which is kind of ironic considering where I attach it."  
  
"Technology? Where did you acquire such a thing, let alone two of them? Such a device in the medical filed would be amazing if the demonstration of it's healing ability on you is anything to go by."  
  
Sighing Buffy sat back down and brought a small leather bound journal out of her bag. Turning to look at Giles straight in his eyes her face became serious, "Giles, I'll answer that and give you proof if you can do one thing for me. What we talk about, what I tell you, and the proof I give you has to remain between us. Willow, Xander, my mother, and most especially the council can not ever get word of any of this. If you can give me your word this goes no further than you and I, I'll answer your questions."  
  
Giles went rigid. He had never kept secrets from the council. It just was not done. After all any development about the slayer could lend insight to future generations. Granted less than an hour ago he thought the council had drugged his slayer with the intention of performing a deadly test on her without telling him. His reading had shown that the council had done exactly that in the past to remove slayers from the field so they could activate a new slayer. Rarely did the accounts from the watchers explain why this had been done, but done it had been. Now though the thought of intentionally misleading the council or not reporting something as important as this device Buffy had found herself in possession of seemed absurd.  
  
"Buffy, I am honor bound to report on all aspects of the slayers life to the council. If you cannot tell me because of that, then I too have to report that," he said with as much calm as he could muster.  
  
Surprisingly Buffy smiled, "So if anything I tell you has nothing, zero zilch nada to do with the slayer, you can keep it between us right?"  
  
Giles nodded in agreement and Buffy's smile got broader. Curiosity ramped up in Giles as he tried to figure out what was going on. It wasn't until only a few split seconds later that that knot in his stomach ripped back into him and he felt queasy. A small shiver of fear passed through him and he opened his mouth to make conditions.  
  
He didn't get a chance as Buffy dropped the bombshell that he never expected to hear and wasn't quite sure he could believe. Her tone was mild and amused, but serious none the less as she looked him deep into his eyes, past the surface and into the man beneath, "Well that's good, because I'm not the slayer."  
  
===============================================  
  
Sitting in John F. Kennedy international airport was a man dressed in a brown wrinkled suit and bowler hat. People moved around him and near him, but no one ever paid him any attention. If someone had watched the events transpire they would almost swear that they could not see him. It was obvious they could as no one ever sat on him or when he stood and walked towards the line for boarding no one bumped into him in the busy airport terminal. When he reached the attendant taking passengers tickets he held his out with a smile and she cheerfully checked it and took what she needed before waving him into the plane. So obviously people could see him, yet no one talked to him, people subconsciously got out of his way, and for all the world he was insignificant.  
  
Sitting miles above was a man who made it his mission in life to take note of the insignificant.  
  
===============================================  
  
"What do you mean you're not the slayer," Giles finally stammered out. His glasses flew from his face and into his hands to be polished so fast that Buffy pondered if it had been a feat of teleportation. "You were confirmed by Merrick to be the slayer. I read his watchers journal about you before you arrived in Sunnydale."  
  
Buffy giggled a little and shook the leather bound journal in her hand, "You mean you read this? Merrick's watchers journal? I don't know how when I've had it since after he died. You're council found the duplicate that he had made. You know, the decoy he kept in case it was ever found by vampires? The one filled with lies and half-truths?"  
  
She sat the journal down on the bar between them and looked at Giles shocked face with a mega-watt smile, "Even then Merrick was watching out for me. He knew within forty-eight hours of meeting me that I wasn't the slayer. It was actually another girl that I went to school with, Cassandra. She was the real slayer and was dead shortly after Lothos hit town. Funny thing is even he never realized that they had killed the slayer. He fixated on me. He was blind to anything other than little old me and that in the end was a huge help in convincing the council I really was the slayer."  
  
"But... but that's impossible. For a vampire, particularly one of Lothos' age and experience, they would know if they had killed a slayer and who she was, or wasn't as the case is," Giles said with a shake of his head.  
  
"Really? Is that your final answer? I mean, it's not like there haven't been hundreds of vampires and four master vampires at that who thought I was the slayer. It's not like I fooled the Master, Spike, Angelus, or Drusilla? I mean Drusilla? She's supposed to be vision girl and even she believes I am the slayer, Giles."  
  
"Well yes, because you are Buffy. You are the slayer and claiming not to don't make it true. I understand that you had a rough time of things with Angelus, but you cannot hide from your destiny," Giles told her in a tone that was meant to broke no argument from the girl in front of him. Instead, it only elicited a sigh.  
  
"Look, I have two other pieces of evidence to support me, not counting Merricks real journal," Buffy said as she dug back into her backpack. She pulled several pieces of paper and laid them on the table in front of Giles. "Slayers have had blood work done in the past, right? Merrick said they had nothing to fear from modern medicine since their blood is pure human. The slayer power comes from something mystic, not genetic. So take a look at these blood tests. One done in L.A. after Lothos, another one done in the psychiatric institution my parents locked me up in, and the third from the Sunnydale Hospital. All three say the exact same thing."  
  
Before he could look properly at the papers Buffy set her final piece of evidence on the table between them. It was a silver tube with some form of crystal that appeared to be a deep violet at one end. Around its circumference at various points were rounded glossy black spots that looked like glass or polished plastic. The end without the crystal tapered off giving it a curved hookbill appearance.  
  
"What is this," he asked as he examined it.  
  
"What that is is several million dollars in lawsuits waiting to happen. It's one of the reasons I never used it where people might see it. The other is that people would want me to build them one."  
  
Buffy held her hand out for the cylinder and Giles deposited it into her hand. She stood and stepped back from the bar and took up an en guard position he had taught her for sword fighting. He was beginning to think she looked rather silly when a purple beam of energy erupted from the crystal covered end of the cylinder. A gentle humming buzz sort of sound echoed through the kitchen.  
  
Giles sat in awe of what he was witnessing. A piece of science fiction legend that even he was familiar with come to life before his eyes. He fish mouthed for several moments before his breathing restarted and he could speak again.  
  
"That's a lightsaber!"  
  
"This is a lightsaber," Buffy confirmed before shutting it back down. "And it is fully functional and quite deadly to vampires. Also it's biorhythm locked to me. No one else can turn it on without my fingerprints, my brain waves, and a N.E.C.K. system to broadcast the appropriate signal to shut off the safety. Keeps vampires from getting ahold of it and turning it against me," she said quite proudly.  
  
Giles was still stuck on the fact he had witnessed a live light saber, his eyes never leaving the device in her hand. "Were did you get that, Buffy? The council will want to know so they can procure them. If we managed to outfit their black ops teams with..."  
  
"NO!" The shout stopped Giles dead in his metaphysical tracks. "No, Giles, you promised that if my secrets had nothing to do with the Slayer you would keep quiet. The council never finds out. Period. End. Full Stop."  
  
"Buffy, this has everything to do with the slayer. You are the slayer and where ever you are getting this technology has to be investigated. They might be trying to subvert you for their own purposes. There are many who would want to wrest control of the slayer from the council."  
  
Buffy slammed the inactive lightsaber onto the counter top and glared at Giles. At that moment he knew that if she could kill with but a look like the gorgons of myth he would be so much masonry. "I did not get it from anyone. I built it all. Me. You didn't even look at the blood work did you, Giles? I AM NOT THE SLAYER!"  
  
Giles finally looked down to the papers he had forgotten in the presence of science fiction come to life, "I don't know what this could say that would lead...," Giles voice suddenly went from infuriated to shock. "You to..." he continued as he flipped to the second set of results confirming the first. "Believe..." he finally stuttered to a stop as he looked at the third set of results.  
  
"Right there is the final proof Giles. It's why I know I'm not the Slayer. It's why I can build things intuitively. It's all the evidence the council would need to either destroy me or sell me to the highest bidder. It's why they can never ever know until I can protect myself."  
  
Buffy's voice was thick with fear. Giles could practically hear the terror reverberating through her body. Before today he would have called her crazy. He still was not entirely sure he wasn't.  
  
Giles stared at the results. Research into others with this same result was relatively new. It had been known of, for several decades now, but no one had done much research on it. The only groups he knew actively looking at it were ones that might attempt to weaponize or control people that showed up with the results before him.  
  
"The X-gene, Giles. I'm a mutant."


	7. Three Girls

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There is a dipiction of Cos-play in this chapter. I do not own the character nor the world from which the character comes from. You will figure it out pretty fast, it's the first part of the story. I will only say that I love 2k and Gearbox, the owners of the character, and pray they would no more sue me than they would any cosplayer out there. Can't wait for Number III guys!

Chapter 6: The Other Three  
  
Across town, another petite blonde was skipping merrily around a warehouse. Sitting in the middle of her path was a square wood table made of thick oak. On top of this table sat four plates upon which rested crumpets and teacups sat next to the plates. In the middle of the table was a teapot still steaming with freshly brewed tea.  
  
Four chairs sat around the table. In one sat a large glass jar. This jar wore a top hat and had a monocle somehow affixed to the front of it. Two eyes, a mustache, and a smiling face were drawn in on the jar as if it were some wealthy British type person. Across from the wealthy British jar sat two stuffed rabbits. The eyes of these rabbits looked dark one moment then shone with a deep red glow the next. Between the two occupied chairs sat a third that held a rather rumpled and terrified looking vampire. He was dressed in clothes that looked out of date by at least two decades with hair even more out of fashion.  
  
The fourth and final chair was empty.  
  
"You know I am so glad you could join us today," the Annalyse said with a smile as she skipped around the table. "It's not every day I get to have the bestest tea party in the world you know."  
  
Annalyse spun around and came to a stop next to the vampire. He struggled with seeing what looked for all the world like an insane teenage girl leaning in towards him. The glowing pink ropes that held him in place did not leave much room for struggling, however.  
  
Annalyse adjusted the hockey mask she wore on the side of her head slightly before looking down at her brown dress. Her grin broadened to almost manic perportions before she looked back up at the vampire, "I mean, you would think I wouldn't enjoy cosplay. I mean, I wear a costume almost 70% of the time back home. That would mean that I should want to wear normal clothes, right? But there is just something freeing about dressing up as someone else. Don't you agree?"  
"Um.. ah... yes," the vampire stuttered out in a voice wracked with fear.  
  
Annalyse bopped him in the back of his head, "I was talking to Reggie, you silly boy." Annalyse sighed and shot an apologetic look to the British jar before turning back to the vampire, "Still I suppose I ought to be more polite to you. You have answered my questions quite thoroughly after all."  
  
The vampire nodded in enthusiastic agreement, "Yea. I did. Told you all about the blonde chi... girl. The Slayer. Everything you wanted to know."  
  
Annalyse nodded again smiling brightly, "Yes you did. Infaaaact," she said with a bit of a sing-song in her voice, "one more question answered right and you win the grand prize."  
  
The vampire's eyes sparked with a bit of hope. He had no idea who this loony girl was but she had spent the last three days questioning him between trips out of the warehouse she had found him and his group. At first, he had simply refused. She beat him around a few times but having vampiric constitution was a wonderful thing. The fact that barring serious injury, which she was more than capable of dealing he knew, he didn't feel much at all. Eventually, he broke and started answering questions. This last night he had started to get even more frightened. She hadn't hit him once, not seriously anyways. She instead had drug him out to this table and held a tea party.  
  
"Anything, just ask please," he responded despretly.  
  
"What is the name of the Slayer," Annalyse asked with deceptive simplicity. She looked at the vampire with a smile of warmth and trust as she waited for him to respond.  
  
"I don't know," he finally said.  
  
"Eeeeeh, wrong answer."  
  
"No, no, no, no, please, I don't know. No one knows. Well, Spike probley knows, Drusilla if she stays sane long enough, and Angelus surely knows. The rest of us, though? We just try to stay well away from Slayers. None of us know. We either drain them or they kill us."  
  
Annalyse stopped and put a finger on her chin as if pondering the vampires explination. She first started nodding her head, then shook it several times before returning to nodding, "Alright, I'll give you that one. So you win the grand prize my friend. Are you ready for it?"  
  
"Please, please, anything," the vampire begged.  
  
Annalyse brought out a small handheld remote that looked like a garage door opener and pressed the button, "Okay there you go. You get mah ladies and their ba-donk-a-donks. Have fun, I need to go get some food."  
  
Setting the remote down on the table infront of the two rabbits she smiled as she turned and started walking out. The vampire sat confused as to what she was talking about as the petite blonde worman who had spent three days breaking him walked out of sight. It was nearly five minutes later when he noticed the eyes of the stuffed rabbits. Their red blinking lights had sped up.  
  
The vampire's eyes widened in the realization that blinking red lights were never good and he struggled even harder against the glowing pink bonds. It was another two minutes before the bonds suddenly blinked out of existence and the vampire bolted from his seat. Without thinking and driven by panic he rushed to the nearest door. He threw it open and stepped out into the sunlight.  
  
Immediately after laughter filled the warehouse as Annalyse stepped back into sight of the table. She walked up and picked up the remote and pressed the button again. The eyes of the rabbits died and went to a dull black.  
  
"Wow, so they really do catch on fire in sunlight. I guess they are vampires after all."  
  
\--------------------------------------------------  
  
Dear Diary,  
  
Okay, so I know it has been awhile since I last wrote. There was all the insanity dealing with Buffy's boyfriend. Or is he ex-boyfriend now? I'm still not entirely sure on what is going on there. I mean, sure Angel went all I'm evil and sadistic but it wasn't like it was his fault. No that falls purely to the gypsies. Stupid rules that no one tells anyone about. I mean that would be like wanting someone to explain string theory to someone who couldn't understand any math more complicated than pi.  
  
Anyways... Mom and Dad have been home for two days now. Yea, go figure, they got home the day AFTER I was released from the hospital. Normally I wouldn't have thought anything about it but the hospital had called my parents to inform them of my injuries and at the time they didn't know when or even if I would wake up. What did they do? Well not race home that's for sure. They instructed the hospital that when I was ready to be released that Giles was to handle it.  
  
Okay so that is bad, but what I found out today was even worse. I went to get Mom's cell phone for her from her office here in the house. I stopped to look at her call list and saw that she had called the hospital at least a half dozen times after they received the first call. The last call was about 6 hours after I had been released to Giles.  
  
Now back before I found out about Sunnydale's nightlife I would not have thought much about it. My parents were at a conference after all. They couldn't just drop everything the instant they found out, could they? In this time and place though it got me suspicious. So I decided to hack their credit card statements. Not that hard really, someone needs to tell them a five-year-old could, and did from what I could tell, set up their network security.  
  
What did I find out? They didn't even purchase their tickets home until five minutes after that last call to the hospital. They waited for me to get out of the hospital before even coming home! It was like they were avoiding me being there for some reason.  
  
I did notice that there was a hidden partition on Mom's computer. I have no idea why she would have such a thing. I didn't put it there and while Mom uses computers for her work I don't think she has the knowledge to set something up like that. From first look it seems to be encrypted. Maybe I can find something on it that will explain the strange timing coming home. Something to look into while they are gone I guess.  
  
Willow  
  
\--------------------------------------------------  
Faith stood on the corner of the main intersection of a no-name town that you would miss if you blinked while walking. She had been here two days. Two days more than she would have preferred to be stuck in the town.  
  
Her ride had decided that if she wasn't verbally offering herself to him that meant she was offering in other ways. When he discovered courtesy of a broken jaw that she wasn't he had thrown her out of the car. Now she was trying for the second night to get a ride out of the hole in the middle of America she had found herself in.  
  
Two hours had passed and only one car had gone by and it hadn't even slowed down for her. She was just begining to consider walking when the hairs on the back of her neck stood up. Someone was watching her, she knew. They were close. Her face burned red at the thought of someone having gotten that close to her without noticing.  
  
Casually she glanced one way then the other before reaching down and picking up her duffle bag and turning around, making a show of walking away from the corner and towards a dingy ally that sat behind the town's three bars. It didn't take long for her to hear the sounds of pursuit.  
  
About half-way down the ally, she heard her pursuer step into it behind her. A smile played across her lips as she lured him further into her trap. Stopping she turned to face him. Vampire, her senses screamed out at her. She gave him a toothy grin and dropped her duffle to the ground.  
  
"Hey, you know where a bus stop around here is, guy? I need to get outta this no-horse town," Faith said as she rolled her shoulders.  
  
The vampire smiled as he moved closer. His entire body loose and relaxed as he neared the predator of his kind. Faith casually wondered if he didn't realize what she was or if he was just nutters as his silky voice responded, "No, but I have a car. I'm sure I could give you a ride where ever you wish, honey."  
  
Faith repressed a snort for a moment by covering her mouth with her hand and looking away. The vampire's outfit looked about as tacky as his attempt to pick her up and was giving her problems not laughing at him.  
  
"Though I think I know just where you need to go, honey," the vampire continued as he got closer. A sound behind Faith caused her to glance back. She spotted the second vampire as the first finished speaking, "After all no one wishes to deny Kakistos' hospitality."  
  
Fear shot through Faith like a hot iron followed by anger. She had thought she had gotten away from Kakistos. After watching Diana ripped to pieces before her she had ran as far and as fast as she could. She had been haphazardly following her now dead Watchers final command. Go to California and find help. She had hoped that she wouldn't need help by the time she got there. Now she knew better. Kakistos was still on her trail.  
  
"Yea, so not happening playboy," Faith shot at the first vampire. "Your boss couldn't stop me. What makes you think you two can?"  
  
The vampire grinned as his human mask slipped revealing his demonic nature, "Kakistos was busy playing with your Watcher, Slayer. We aren't. Now, are you going to come along like a good girl or do we get to hurt you?"  
  
Faith didn't respond verbally. Instead, she made her intentions known in other ways. With a smooth turn and flick, a stake slid down her shirt sleeve into her hand and found it's way through the air and into the heart of the second vampire. Turning back to the first as his friend blew away in a cloud of dust she just smiled, a second stake dropping into her other hand from her sleeve.  
  
"You killed Hernando," the vampire shouted in anger. "Why did you kill Hernando? He did nothing to you, Slayer!"  
Faith rolled her eyes, "Let's see, him vampire, me Slayer. You can do the math, right? Besides, you wanted to take me back to your boss."  
  
"Wanted, what makes you think I've changed my mind," the vampire snarled.  
  
Faith leapt forward planting her foot solidly into the vampire's chin flipping him head over ass. Before he could hit the ground she spun in place and backhanded him across his ribs slamming him into the wall. Her grin stretched further as she stalked over to the vampire as he tried to pick himself out of the wall. She slammed her fist into the back of his head then quickly sent two jabs into his kidneys and an elbow to his spine.  
  
"Well the way I figure it, by the time I'm done with you, you will be wishing I'd dust you or just get out of town," Faith remarked casually as she continued dissecting her opponent's body with her fists.  
  
She was just getting into the rhythm of things when a powerful blow caught her from the side sending her down the alleyway on an impromptu flight of her own. She felt her ribs crack under the force and winced as she rolled to a stop. Kicking back to her feet she spotted what was her third vampire of the night. This one was huge easily topping seven feet and looked like he belonged in a professional wrestling ring. Cracking her neck as she adjusted her stance she spat out blood before giving him a smile.  
  
"Alright, now that is more like it," Faith said pushing all the confidence she could into her voice. "Figured old Kaky wouldn't send flunkies like those two after a slayer. So come on big boy, you got a name or you just want to..."  
  
She was cut off as the vampire suddenly moved. He was almost too quick for her to catch it with her eyes as he closed on her his fist leading the way. She ducked the blow and returned with one of her own to his stomach. The vampire didn't make a sound and instead brought his hand down aiming it at her head.  
  
Faith spun away from the second blow and lashed out with her knee at his ribs. Again he didn't try to block or dodge and simply took the hit. She let the momentum of bouncing off of him carry her around the third strike of his fist and tried to strike home with her stake hoping to end the fight quickly.  
  
The vampire chose then to bother to block the impending death blow. He caught her wrist easily in his large hand and whipped her to the side slamming her bodily into the wall of the bar.  
  
Faith spun to her feet almost as soon as she made contact with the ground. Pushing off from the wall she charged the vampire and sent a leaping roundhouse at his face. It connected and spun him which he turned into a hammering blow to her kidney that sent her careening into another wall.  
  
Her undead opponent moved with that unnatural speed of his again and brought his knee up into Faiths jaw as she slid down. The impact lifted her back up. Using the momentum she shoved off the wall as she rose and rammed her head into his jaw. That got the first sounds of pain from the vampire.  
  
"There we go, knew you would scream like your friend," Faith said as she started landing blow after blow in rapid succession to the vampires torso.  
  
After about the seventh strike the vampire recovered and caught her fist and twisted it around forcing Faith to her knees. He spit blood and a bit of broken fang out as he snarled, "And you will die like your watcher."  
  
Faith felt her rage start to burn hotter than before. Pumping her legs beneath her she slammed up again catching the vampire in the jaw. Kicking back she caught his knee cap slamming it back the opposite direction it was hinged. The vampires howling filled the small town night bringing a feral grin to Faiths lips.  
  
"Yea, well I got a message for your boss," Faith spat out as she slipped a third stake from her pants having lost the second earlier. "Tell him I said hi when he meets you in hell."  
  
Faith slammed the stake home then jerked it out as the vampire turned to dust. Brushing herself off she started walking towards the original first vampire of the evening. His bones were already starting to knit back together as she approached him.  
  
"Now I'm just pissed. I hope you have car keys," Faith grumbled as she approached the vampire. The gleam in her eyes promised him much pain if he couldn't produce said keys.


	8. Demonstrations, Condemnations, and Revelations

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's long... It is really really long. I had originally planned to chop this chapter into three seperate ones but in the end realized that since it all delt with the same over all portion of the story that I might as well post it as one complete chapter.
> 
> Give me your opinions on if that descision was a good one or not. Should I start trying to keep things a little more together, posting what would amount to a complete 'episode' in tv terms or should I keep with a more novel feel and break things up between scenes. I'm leaning towards the tv episode style myself.
> 
> Once again since it has been awhile, I do not own Buffy the Vampier Slayer, the Marvel Cinimatic Universe, The DC Universe, Starwars, nor any other anime, video game, or other copywrited character or creation held within these stories. I am only playing with the several sandboxes that other people have created and pray they do not sue me for being a huge fan of their works. I make no money from this in anyway and only seek to entertain myself and others.
> 
> May the joy of story telling never die from the human race.

Chapter 7:  Demonstrations, Condemnations, and Revelations  
  
Buffy and Giles had spent the morning and afternoon going over the preliminary paperwork for her emancipation with the council lawyer. Buffy had been surprised with Roger. He refused to even give her a last name for fear she would start calling him by it. While obviously British there had been no real similarities to Giles. For one thing, the lawyer had a sense of style that Gile's tweed centered wardrobe lacked. Then there was the promise that he was her lawyer. Yes, his bill was being paid by the council, but they had retained him as her lawyer. That meant client confidentiality was in place and he wouldn't break that even for the council.  
  
"They won't try to get me to either," he had explained when Buffy asked why they would respect her confidence with him. "I know where too many of their bodies are buried. They may work for the greater good, but that's a messy business. They know that if they ask or force me to break confidence with you there is nothing stopping someone from doing the same concerning what the council has made me privy to over the years."  
  
The largest hurdle that had come up was income. Buffy had to be able to demonstrate a means of legal income that could support her as one of the steps in qualifying for emancipation. At first, Giles had suggested possibly hi-jinking something through the council but Robert had quickly nay sayed the idea.  
  
"You don't think they won't look into things, Rupert? No, the income needs to be legitimate and public. Any signs of duplicity and she would loose any fight her mother attempts to put up against her emancipation."  
  
The two adults spent nearly fifteen minutes throwing suggestions back and forth before Buffy finally got sick of being ignored like a child. Clearing her throat several times did nothing to distract them from their argument so she finally just spoke up rather loudly.  
  
"Hey," she shouted. "Would income from a patent lease or sale suffice to show sufficient income?"  
  
The two men looked at each other and then to Buffy. Giles looked pensive, lines tracing across his forehead as it wrinkled with disapproval. Robert simply looked intrigued.  
  
"How much money are you talking about," the lawyer inquired.  
  
Buffy blushed lightly then shrugged, "I'm not really sure. I had an offer for something I came up with. Several actually. The highest bid was from Stark Industries," she said as she started pulling a file folder from her backpack.  
  
Setting the folder on Roberts desk she continued to explain as best as she could. "I came up with a new semi-intelligent fabrication material. It has the qualities of metal and crystal both. Long story short, it forms the basis for several of my own inventions. I wouldn't give up rights on it entirely because then I couldn't make most of the things I have. Stark Industries agreed to let me use it for personal projects so long as anything I wanted to release publicly was done so through them."  
  
Robert leafed through the papers that formed the basis for the contract after passing the actual design specifications and construction details to Giles as Buffy talked. When he finally got to the nuts and bolts of the contract that included not only her fee's for Stark Industries having access to her creation but also the stipulations for her own use of the material during the length of the contract he whistled.  
  
"This basically gives you carte blanch to do what you want with your invention so long as you don't sell it except to them or release anything made with it to public or private concerns," he said flipping to another page, "and with the amount of money they are offering I'd say this is a huge breakthrough you came up with."  
  
He glanced up from the papers to a blushing Buffy. "You know the council told me you were just some California blonde who had less sense than a fashionista trapped on a desert island," he said with a steady voice.  
  
Buffy's blush turned into a glare quicker than Robert thought possible. He squirmed in his seat under her scrutiny and quickly tried to explain his comment.  
  
"I didn't mean that as derisively as it sounded, Buffy," he told her in a placating voice. "I just meant that the council has no clue just what sort of resource it has in you. Are you sure you don't want to sell these patent rights to them instead? They could ensure that the inventions were used to do more than making missiles or tanks like Stark would."  
  
"No," Buffy said calmly. A calm that did not seem to be matched by her expression. "The council does not get wind of this at all. I had to dance through I don't know how many hoops to even set this whole thing up without letting anyone know. I wouldn't have been able to do it without Merrick's help before... before he," Buffy stalled out, choking back a sob.  
  
Giles passed over a tissue from the box on Roberts desk and placed a hand on Buffy's shoulder as she wiped the tears threating to fall from her eyes. He gave Robert a look that had terrified many an assistant or researcher during his days at the British museum, "The council can never find out about Buffy's inventions. I recently came across proof that if they did it would not end well for our girl here."  
  
"Alright," Robert agreed with a nod. "No involving the council. Then your best bet is to go with this offer from Stark Industries. Assuming it's still on the table that is. If this was during your time with Merrick, that was almost what two years ago?"  
  
Buffy nodded her agreement as she got her emotions under control, "Yes, and it's still a good offer. I talked with Mr. Stark about it only a month ago. And they won't be using it for missiles or bombs or tanks. He pulled Stark Industries out of the weapons manufacturing business a little less than a year ago. He said he could use this smart metal as a component in his free energy project."  
  
"Alright, then we just need you to sign these documents once I can look them over. Afterward, it will take a few weeks to get everything processed and put through with Stark. Once that's all handled you should have a yearly income of," he paused as he re-read the contract, "about 1.2 million US Dollars, before taxes."  
  
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That evening after stopping for Chinese take out Buffy led Giles to a building he had heard about from their evening debriefs during her first year in Sunnydale. He had never been her personally his slayer having assured him that there was nothing left behind of interest to the council. Now he began to realize how many secrets Buffy had been keeping from not only him but everyone in their small circle of compatriates.  
  
The Calax Research and Development building stood quiet and dark as they pulled up to it. At first glimpse anyone who didn't know Buffy had turned the building into her own private workshop after the Moloch incident would believe it to be abandoned. It wasn't until Buffy led Giles in through a side entrance and deeper into the building that he even found functioning lights. Here in the heart of the building, there weren't even windows to the outside world to betray that anyone had moved in.  
  
"Weren't you concerned that someone might attempt to buy the building and discover your presence here, Buffy," Giles inquired as she led him through the last set of security doors.  
  
"Not really. This is Sunnydale after all Giles. Not a lot of interest in high-tech development around here. I'm not really sure if it's a side effect of the Hellmouth or what. I do know that if we ever had any proper research and development firm move in that the existence of the nightlife wouldn't stay secret for long," she explained as she tapped in a code into a keypad. "Science types are too analytical. They would notice something was odd and chase it down like a dog with a bone, Sunnydale Syndrome or not."  
  
"Yes, I suppose you're right," he muttered as he started to clean his glasses with a frown.  
  
She led him into the final chamber, a relatively large room that looked like a cross between a garage and a chemistry lab. He looked around at the wide variety of tools and equipment and gave a shake of his head.  
  
"Buffy, you never did explain how you have managed to fund all of this development you have been doing."  
  
Buffy gave a grim smile as she walked over to one of the tables set against a wall. She picked up a cylinder that looked like it would fit over her forearm with about three or four inch thick walls of a silvery metal.  
  
"Well, during the first year with Merrick, before... well before, he used some of the finances the council had set up for him to train the slayer to purchase tools and materials for my earliest experiments. After Lothos, Pike and I spent a few months traveling, hitting vampire nests together and stuff. We found a rather significant amount of money and goods back then. Pike handled the selling off of things and we put all the money into more research and development."  
  
Giles looked around at the equipment cataloging all the various bits and pieces then turned back to Buffy, "I assume you had to do something similar once you arrived here in Sunnydale? I don't see you having managed to keep hydraulic floor jacks or propane torches secreted away from your mother during your packing and unpacking."  
  
"Yea, a lot of the nights I went out on regular patrols I was hunting up a place to set up shop and the tools I needed. I got about half of the equipment here straight from the hands of vampires. I was keeping it in a machine shop that had been taken over by vampires until we found this place."  
  
Buffy set the cylinder down and started walking around to various tables. She would pick up a piece of tech here or there and make some minor modifications with a screwdriver or other such tool before moving on, "I figured you would want to see what all I've been keeping from you aside from the N.E.C.K. system and lightsaber."  
  
Giles nodded in agreement as he followed her through the workspace. "Yes, I suppose that would be best. Knowing what tools you have available in the fight is as important anything else. How else am I supposed to properly prepare you?"  
  
Buffy nodded and started gathering up various pieces of kit in a black backpack that was covered with pink skulls, "Right, okay well let's get some things together then go hit the cemetery. It'll be the easiest place to demonstrate some of these."  
  
"You don't have testing facilities here," Giles asked as he watched Buffy pack.  
  
"Umm... yes... no... sorta both," she said as she zipped up the backpack and hooked one of the several cylinders that Giles now knew to be lightsabers on her wrist with a customized holster for it. "I sort of accidently blew up the room I was using for testing. I'll tell you why another time. Too long of a story. Let's get out in the field and I can show you the toys I know work for now."  
  
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Xander walked down the sidewalk more frustrated than he had been in a long time. He had gone by Willows earlier in the day to find her deep in what he called her hacker nirvana. He knew that when she got like that it was nearly impossible to drag her out of it for any length of time until she was done with what it was she was working on. He had spent the afternoon watching her type away at her desktop, the one she kept in the basement separate from the houses network, and still had no clue what it was she was working on. She hadn't even answered when he asked if she wanted anchovies on her pizza when he ordered dinner for the two of them.  
  
He had finally gotten the hint that she wasn't going to be coming out of her techno trance anytime soon and left to find Buffy and Giles. Home wasn't an option tonight, his father was in the middle of getting a good solid drunk on and unless he wanted to end up in the hospital he knew it was smarter to stay away until he managed to drink himself unconscious. When he didn't find Buffy and Giles at his apartment he had gone checking the graveyards for them expecting to find them on patrol. So far that had turned up nothing.  
  
He was just about resigned to going to find Deadboy in the hope and fear that Buffy was there when he heard the familiar sound of fighting and witty comments coming from one of Sunnydale's many cemeteries.  
  
"And so tell me," the voice of Buffy carried through the night, "why is it you vampires always think blonde equals stupid? Or that girl means weak? Come on, can we get any more cliche? You would think that after being around for a few decades you would start to realize that if something isn't right that... well... something isn't right."  
  
Xander started to move quickly into the graveyard knowing that Buffy couldn't be too far in. It only took a few moments to find her as he rounded a mausoleum. She was surrounded by four vampires and had a mega-watt smile on her face. He pressed himself against it and kept out of sight, not wanting to distract the slayer from the fight she was about to get involved in.  
  
"Oh what are you going to do to us little girl," the largest of the vampires sneered. "Weep on us while we suck you dry? Please, I've killed men trained to kill. One little mall bunny isn't going to be a problem for me and my friends."  
  
"Mall bunny," Buffy said in disbelief. "I'll have you know I haven't been to a mall in ages. And why you may ask when I obviously have superior fashion sense. Because you blood sucking idiots won't leave me alone! I mean, come on, I just want to go shopping, have a boyfriend, and spend my evening at the Bronze with my friends. But no, I have to be out here hunting you freaks."  
  
Xander stifled a chuckle at Buffy's rant. It was a common one for her he knew. She longed to have at least a semi-normal life and her gig as the slayer kept interfering in that. Then he sighed. He had been trying for two years to get Buffy to notice him and he hadn't had any luck at all. She kept saying she wanted a normal life yet she had chosen the vampire over him. It was so obviously counter intuitive to what she wanted that he didn't understand it.  
  
The vampires, obviously tired of Buffy's rant moved to take her down. The two from behind making a grab for her while the leader lashed out with his fist. Xander started to pull the stake and cross he always carried with him to help, fearing that his girl might have gotten herself in a little over her head when he froze. The lead vampire was suddenly missing his arm from the elbow down and Buffy was holding a freaking lightsaber!  
  
"Thank the goddess," Buffy said as she deactivated the energy weapon. "I was wondering when I was going to get to start my demonstration. Now, as you can see the lightsaber mark III is capable of easily removing limbs. This can also be used to decapitate a vampire or other assorted demons rendering them quite dead."  
  
Buffy spun, her fist coming up and punching one of the two vampires behind her in the stomach. As her fist made contact there was an audible boom followed by a wet squelching sound and blood spewed from it's back.  
  
"The wrist mounted Hydrostatic Shock System, or HyS System, allows me to focus the kinetic field produced by the N.E.C.K. unit into a more concentrated space. Contact with flesh, even undead flesh, results in hydrostatic shock similar to a bullet wound. At it's highest setting, which I've just demonstrated, it is like a fifty caliber bullet being fired at supersonic velocity. Quite messy though generally non-fatal to a vampire unless the blow hits the head or heart."  
  
Buffy's cheerful voice continued as she dropped down to dodge simultaneous kicks from the two uninjured vampires. She lashed out quickly with a sweep dropping one of the two to their back as she rose up and slammed an old fashioned stake into the heart of the second. As it dusted she yanked the stake out and it vanished again into her clothes.  
  
The armless vampire had started to turn and run from the vicious little blonde they had thought to make their meal. She simply shrugged and lifted the arm opposite of the one she had punched the vampire with. A faint puff sound was heard and the vampire stumbled for a moment then continued to run. Xander, thinking that Buffy had missed her target started to move to give chase when the vampire suddenly dropped to the ground screaming in pain.  
  
"Kinetically Induced Syringe System, or K.I.S.S.," she said, turning to face the vampire that was now picking itself off the ground. "Payload could be nearly anything and the diamond tipped titanium needle is capable of puncturing modern body armors and most demon hides. That particular dart was loaded with holy water. Incapacitating at the very least, fatal depending on where the dart penetrates," she explained as the last unmutilated vampire gawked at his fallen comrade as he suddenly burst into dust.  
  
Buffy reached up and pulled a pair of goggles down over her eyes as she produced a small sphere from out of her pockets and giggled, "This last little toy is a bit experimental. I haven't had the time to test it properly so let's see what happens shall we?"  
  
Xander didn't have time to turn away as she depressed a button on the sphere and dropped it. It popped open two channels that bisected the spheres hemispheres and a bright light flashed from it leaving him unable to see. He could hear the screaming of the still unliving vampires from the flash so he knew they hadn't been dusted by whatever it was that Buffy had just done. Just over that, he could hear Buffy's voice.  
  
"Oh darn, I guess that concentrated ultraviolet light from an artificial source won't flash fry a vampire. Though it did seem to give them quite the sunburn. Possible use as a substitute for flashbang grenades versus a nest or in a hostage situation. Though the intensity of the light might be a bit much for unprotected humans at close range."  
  
Buffy's voice sounded amused as he heard what he assumed was the lightsaber activate again. His vision started to clear in time to watch as Buffy quickly decapitated to last of the undead with the vibrant energy blade of purple.  
  
"And that, Watcher-mine, concludes the offensive demonstration of what I've put together so far. I have a few other things that I'm working on but I haven't managed to finish it due to lack of fundage," she said cheerfully as the lightsaber deactivated.  
  
Giles stepped out from the shadow of another mausoleum opposite were Xander had watched the fight. He looked about at the dust piles and nodded thoughtfully, "Quite effective if I do say so. That you managed to accumulate the kill count that you have without using any of your inventions since arriving in Sunnydale is quite a credit to your skill and dedication."  
  
Xander blinked and replayed what Giles just said in his mind. He missed whatever Buffy was saying in response as he wrapped his head around what this meant. The entire time Buffy had been here she had access to things that made vampires explode when you punched them and what could only be called a lightsaber. She had these weapons and had failed to share that with them.  
  
"Well, I have been using the N.E.C.K. system, Giles," Buffy said sheepishly. "That was the only way I could even meet these things head on after all. The rest of the equipment just gives me more ways to dispose of them."  
  
"Yes, quite. Still I wonder if it would be possible to use these systems to assist in your hunts now that I know about their existence," Giles asked as he rummaged through a backpack lifting out what looked like various replicas of the equipment Buffy had used.  
  
"Yea, well, I could use them sure. That isn't a problem really. Others, though, not so much with the usage there," Buffy responded.  
  
Xander chose that moment to step out from behind the mausoleum with a grin plastered on his face. "Oh come on Buffy," he  
started confidently, "You so know that I would look awsome with a light saber. And that little flashy thing that went and sunburned those vamps, the potential for fun alone says you have to share. I mean, picture a nest of blind vampires. How many would try to eat each other in the panic?"  
  
Both Buffy and Giles jumped hearing the boy approach. Realizing who it was Buffy let out a groan and covered her face. Giles was seemingly gas locked between pinching the bridge of his nose and cleaning his glasses. For a few beats of his heart Xander thought he had broken the watcher.  
  
"Noooo," Buffy lamented, peeking out between her fingers at Xander, "Oh no no no no, so not of the good."  
  
Buffy's distress brought Xander up short. She sounded truly upset that he had seen her testing out her new toys. He didn't know where she got them from, but where ever it was it couldn't be so bad that she would hide it from him and Willow. Cordelia, sure he could see hiding it from her. After all, if it didn't match her outfit she wouldn't be interested.  
  
"Whats the big, Buffy? So I saw you trying out some new toys. You getting your hands on new gear for us to use is awsome. Where did you get it anyways?"  
  
Buffy groaned again and plopped down on the ground still not taking her hands from her face, "Giles tell me he didn't see me. This is a dream, right? Just a bad dream."  
  
"No, Buffy, Xander is indeed here and it would seem he saw most if not all of your demonstration," Giles answered finally deciding his glasses needed cleaning more than his nose needed pinching.  
  
Xander looked at his friend and her watcher in confusion at first, then slowly he felt a slow burn of anger start to build up in him. "And just what is so bad about me seeing this," he demanded of his friend.  
  
Buffy finally lifted her head and peeked out from behind her fingers again. She stared at him for several minutes before finally sighing. "Because now you want to know where I got them from don't you."  
  
It was a statement. Xander could hear it in the tone of her voice just like he could hear that she was really really hoping he would deny it. He almost could too, if the curiosity wasn't driving him insane. He had to know who had come up with a working lightsaber after all.  
  
"Let me guess, Stark Industries? Did they somehow figure out about the nightlife and decide that it was in their best interests to fund and outfit the slayer," he asked trying to reason out why she sounded so worried about this.  
  
Buffy quickly started to shake her head back and forth. "No," she said as her voice cracked, "Damn it, only Giles was supposed to know. Now I'm ruined."  
  
"Ruined? How are you ruined if I saw you with super cool gadgets that must have taken a mad scientist to come up with," he shot back at her. "So just who is this mad scientist that I need to thank for coming up with gadgets that will help us keep this place safe?"  
  
Xander watched as Buffy's hand slowly raised into the air. He looked at it in confusion trying to figure out what she was saying. Looking up into the air half expecting to find someone in power armor floating above them he shrugged when he found nothing but sky. Looking around he saw only himself, Giles, and... and Buffy.  
  
It fell into his brain like a brick and landed him on his ass as if he had been hit by one.  
  
"Wait, you, the girl who has to constantly get tutoring from Willow to pass anything science like, built this stuff," he asked dumbfounded. At her nod, he asked his next question still sounding just as confused as he looked, "Why is it bad that I know that? I mean, you built a freaking lightsaber! How totally cool is that?"  
  
Buffy just groaned again then laid back on the ground as she answered him, "Because, now you know the truth."  
  
"What, that my best slayer friend is some sort of super genius? I mean, yea kinda bummed you didn't tell us before and Willow is going to be so stoked to find out you can actually keep up with her. Again, what's so bad?"  
  
Sitting up Buffy looked her best friend in the eye. Xander wanted to squirm under her gaze. It was the sort of serious he had only seen on her face when it came to stopping big bads and saving lives, or money on shoes. He was baffled, what would make this situation so serious.  
  
Buffy let out a heartfelt cry as she slumped in on herself “You know I'm a geek!”  
  
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Willow was moving as quickly as she dared under the night time summer sky of Sunnydale, California. The call she had received from Xander was strange. Xander was always strange, though. Yet she had felt the urgency in his voice when he had insisted she get herself down to the industrial district and to the old CRD building where the final battle with Moloch had gone down.  
  
Willow honestly had no clue what was both hilarious and serious about the situation. She only knew that her best friend since kindergarten had not been able to stop laughing when he had called. Yet when she had suggested waiting until daylight to make the trip down to CRD he had been insistent. She had to come right away, Buffy needed them.  
  
Willow's mind was a whirlwind of thought as she moved both quickly and quietly down the streets. The only possible connections she could put together with CRD was Moloch and potentially Ted.  
  
Moloch's robotic body had been built at CRD so that was an obvious connection. Knowing that they had sealed him back inside his book, however, made it seem like an unlikely reason for the late night visit.  
  
Ted had no obvious connections to CRD in Willows mind. They had not found a great deal of information on Ted at all in fact. They only knew that his creator had died and Ted's programing seemed to have become corrupted somehow. Wether through poor workmanship or the effects of the Hellmouth they were never sure. Buffy's destruction of the robot had been complete enough as to make its hard drives inaccessible even to Willow.  
  
That left one of two possibilities that she could come up with, neither of them likely or good in her opinion.  
  
First was that this was all a trap. Of the remaining two possibilities that one seemed both the least likely to be fact and the least likely to get her angry. Willow knew that Xander would not have willingly called her and told her to come if it was a trap. Even if his life had been threatened he would have refused. On the other hand, the manic laughter that had seemed to infect Xander could be the side effects of a mind control spell, she thought to herself before moving on to the other possibility.  
  
The second potential cause for the trip was the one that had the most potential to end up with Willow very angry at her Xander-shaped friend. That this was all some sort of elaborate joke being played on Willow. However, Willow could not figure out why Xander would go through with a joke like this. It just wasn't in his nature to drag her out of her house in the middle of the night. It was even more out of character for him ever since they had discovered the truth behind all the disappearances in Sunnydale during their freshman year when they had met Buffy.  
  
Willow was so engrossed in her own thoughts as she went over the possible reasons for her summons to CRD that she was completely unaware when the hand shot out of an ally she had walked too close too. In less time than it took for her to take a breath, Willow found herself pressed against a wall with three vampires surrounding her. All three already had their game faces on and the look in their eyes made it clear they were looking for a snack.  
  
”What do we have here,” the vampire who had grabbed her murmured as he pressed her into the wall. He was dressed in casual jeans, a white t-shirt, and plaid overshirt that hung open and loose on his frame. His brown hair was shaggy and hung down around his face like greasy vines.  
  
The second and third vampire she couldn't get as good a look at since the first was pressed right up in her face. She could smell the foul scent of old blood on his mouth from this close. Willow had to fight for a second to avoid gagging on the horrid stench.  
  
”Um, huh, high guys... uh so yea hi,” Willow babbled out incoherently as she tried to think of what to do. She had a stake and a cross in her back pocket. Her front pockets each held a small vial of holy water. However with the vampire pressed so close to her and holding her against the wall, she knew she had no hope of reaching any of her weapons before he could snap her neck.  
  
”Oh aren't you an eloquent one. So shy and timid,” the vampire said as he took a long drawn-out sniff of her neck. “You're not afraid enough, though. No, you need to be scared, terrified even. It spices the blood. Makes it taste so good while we drink you dry.”  
  
Willow whimpered as the vampire chuckled still leaning against her throat. She could feel his cold dead breath on her skin causing shivers to run down her spine. It was like an electric shock to her system as she realized she was about to die. She was about to die all because Xander had insisted she come out after dark by herself.  
  
It was like a switch had been flipped. She went from all-encompassing terror to complete anger in that moment. She was furious that these vampires would try to stop her from getting to Xander. She didn't know why he had insisted she hurry to CRD but knew he had good reasons. He'd never have called her to come out at night without them. And these dead things were going to stop her.  
  
Somewhere deep down inside, Willow screamed in rage and the hidden legacy of her genetics answered.  
  
Electricity consumed the three vampires, arcing between them in a nearly tangible shroud of blue and white. Willow could feel it running across her skin and into her body as it danced its deadly way through the undead before her in complete awe. It didn't hurt in the least. It was the complete opposite in fact, feeling like a warm bath that relaxed the muscles combined with one of the strongest cups of coffee she ever had with a quadruple espresso shot to boot. Her body writhed in pleasure even as she could smell the flesh of the vampires burn and scorch.  
  
Willow wasn't sure how long it had taken but the three vampires eventually turned to dust and the electric storm died out. She was left blinking repeatedly as she tried to deduce what had just happened. She knew deep down that she had been the cause of the freak electrical storm that had saved her life but had no clue how. It had not been magic, she was sure of that. Besides having no clue how to summon up enough power to both electrocute three vampires to the point of incineration nor having spoke any words of power the entire ordeal had felt different. The magic had been a rush for sure, but after she had been left exhausted and worn out. Now she felt energized and more awake than she had ever felt before.  
  
After several minutes of standing there quietly, Willow's eyes drifted to the wall opposite of her. Situated above the door that led into some business or another was a light socket. The bulb destroyed, but not shattered. Instead she could see that the glass had been melted. Past the ruined glass of the bulb the inner guts appeared to have been flash fried as well and smoke steadily rose out of the charred remains.  
  
”Huh...” Willow muttered as she stepped over to look closer. After a few moments she shrugged and turned to head out of the alley and towards the place she was to meet her friend. Already an idea of how and what she had caused forming in her mind as she tried to keep herself from freaking out.  
  
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When Willow finally entered the front lobby of CRD she was still wide-eyed. Her mouth kept moving of it's own volition with only the occasional unintelligible sound escaping from it. With no immediate sign of her friends she stood in the center of the room in a daze seemingly oblivious to her surroundings.  
  
That was how Xander found her ten minutes later when Buffy, having seen Willow on the security cameras that she had gotten functioning again, sent him up to get their redheaded friend. He waved his hand in front of her face a few times and called her name but the girl did not even acknowledge hi presence. With a grunt of concern he reached out and tapped her forehead twice in quick succession while calling to her, “Willow, hey Willow wake up.”  
  
Willow startled out of her daze, blinking several times at Xander as she came to her senses. “Oh Xander, I'm sorry. Did I space out? I didn't mean to,” she said as a blush covered her face. Then she blinked again and started talking once more, “Wait, why am I apologizing? You drug me out here in the middle of the night, mister. There better be a good reason. Oh god, there is isn't there? Did You get brain sucked by some big bad, is that it? No, you aren't acting all laughy like you were earlier. But you were acting that way. Who's controlling you? Did something happen to Buffy too? Oh, gods, I need to call Buffy. She'll know whats wrong with you and your all laughy ness. Did the hyena spirit come back? Thats it isn't it. You got repossessed agai...”  
  
Xander gently laid his hand across Willow's mouth to cut off her babble fest and grinned. “No stress Willow. Everythings good and Buffy is here. She's why I called you. We couldn't have our bestest computer geek friend miss the geek fest that's going to start.”  
  
Willow tilted her head and lifted Xander's hand from her mouth, “Geekfest? What, did Buffy find something about Moloch or Ted that she needed me to check out? Or is it some new big bad using technology?”  
  
Xander took her hand and started leading her deeper into the building as he shook his head. “No, no big bad here. This is pure and total celebration type geek fest. You won't believe it if I told you so I have to let you see it yourself. I don't even understand it all and Buffy refused to explain until you got here too,” he told her as they turned down one hallway then another and passed through a pair of sliding doors on a motion sensor.  
  
Inside the room were many tables and workbenches. On most were pieces of technology that Willow could only guess at. On the central table being used as an apparent desk though was a laptop that Buffy sat infront of typing and pointing as Giles looked on over her shoulder.  
  
Noticing Xander's return with Willow, Buffy looked up with a sheepish smile for her redheaded friend and gave her a timid wave. “You're here, um... good, good. Now I can sorta I guess... explain. Yes, explainy Buffy time I guess now.”  
  
Willow tilted her head hearing the almost fear in Buffy's voice. It was so unlike her that it caused Willow to look closer at her best female friend. She noticed Buffy kept looking back over her shoulder to Giles. Tight lines had formed around Buffy's eyes and her smile was tenitive at best, hopeful at worst. It wasn't right to see Buffy, their rock and guardian of the Hellmouth looking like the frightened teenager that now sat infront of her.  
  
”Okay, explain what? Xander said there was a geek fest going on,” Willow chirped as she pushed her own troubles to the back of her mind. “I guess you found some sort of tech gold mine and need me to figure it out, Buffy?”  
  
Buffy looked around then blushed. Her eyes dropped to her lap as her hands came together twisting amongst themselves and she shook her head in the negitive. “Um, no, no needing with the explaining from you, Willow. Like I said, explainy time Buffy here, not Willow. Besides, I shouldn't exactly need you to explain what my own inventions do, should I?”  
  
Willow momentarily disconnected from her friends as she processed what she heard. Her eyes traveled over the pieces of technology around her again as she tried to process what Buffy had said. On one wall over a workbench were several metal tubes with different types of buttons or switches on each. Her mind worked out that they looked remarkably like the hilts of lightsabers. On another bench were what looked like overly large bracers that reminded her of a similar set from an anime she had once watched. In the corner of the room was what could only be called a high-tech looking breastplate that looked fitted for a woman.  
  
Everywere she looked she saw various bits of technology that she started to catalogue from different scifi and anime shows she had watched over the years with Xander. Even more of the pieces though were completely unknown to her as were their uses. Several minutes passed before she turned to look at Buffy again who looked even more worried and scared than before.  
  
”Your inventions. You built this stuff, Buffy? All of it,” Willow inquired softly.  
  
Buffy swallowed then nodded, “Yea, Xander sorta saw me giving Giles a field demonstration of some of the pieces that are fully functional. So, cat out of bag time and I... um... wanted to show you both and make with the explainy at one time.”  
  
Willow just nodded before looking over at Xander, a feeling of deja vu running over her. “Need to sit now,” she told him.  
  
A smiling Xander looked at her with a grin. “You are sitting, Willow,” he pointed out.  
  
Willow looked around and realized that at some point she had, in fact, sat down. She nodded in agreement and mumbled out, “Good, good,” before returning her attention to Buffy.  
  
”Okay, so you made all this stuff. Maybe starting at the beginning would be of the good, Buffy,” she said as calmly as she could.  
  
\------------------------------  
  
Life had gotten weird. That was saying something since they lived in Sunnydale, Hellmouth central that it was. Buffy was not the Slayer, she was a mutant that had taken the title of Slayer after the true Slayer who had been called in L.A. was killed by Lothos. That it had been a girl that Buffy had known had been a part of it. Another part was that Merrick, her first watcher, had mistaken Buffy for the Slayer at first.  
  
”What I don't get,” Xander said as he looked around at all the bits and pieces of equipment that Buffy had built, “is why you always pretend to need Willow to tutor you. Was that just some sort of keep the secret thing?”  
  
Willow nodded as well. It had occurred to her that if Buffy could build all these amazing pieces of technology then she had to be super smart. How that was a mutation she wasn't sure but she knew works of genius when she saw it.  
  
”No, so not with the secret girl thing, Xander. I um... actually really needed the help,” Buffy explained. “The stuff I build, it's just instinctive. I just know how to put things together and what it will do. Or at least what it's supposed to do. Some of it I have to experiment a few times to get it to work right. Most of it really. School stuff, though, even math and stuff, I don't get it that way. Total suckage really. I mean, here I am super inventor girl and I can't even solve a differential equation.”  
  
Willow nodded a smile plastering her face, “You're an Einstein,” she said knowingly.  
  
”Huh,” was Buffy's intelligible response as she looked blankly at Willow.  
  
”Well the story goes that Einstein, who was like the smartest guy in modern science ever, couldn't pass simple high school math classes. I mean, he gave us the theory of special relativity, but he couldn't pass high school algebra,” she said with a grin. “You're like him. Super smart with your machines, even when you don't understand the mathematics behind it. An engineering savant. The fact that you don't understand any of the formula's and a lot of what you have created seem to bypass most known laws of physics shows that it has to be your mutation at work. It lets your brain work at a high level in this one area but otherwise you are pretty normal.”  
  
Willow stopped for a moment her brain running quickly as she parsed through her own memories of tutoring Buffy. “You know what, though, I bet you are a lot smarter than you think. I mean, before you took over as the Slayer you had a 4.0 GPA. And when I tutor you, you always pick up on everything pretty quickly. I'll bet if you could actually devote more time to your studies we'd be competing for class valedictorian in a few years.”  
  
Buffy blinked in surprise. She had never really thought of how she put things together or how much of the basic building blocks on which she was working, or in some cases totally destroying, she was lacking. “I wonder if it would help or hurt my inventions if I knew all that,” she pondered aloud.  
  
”Help I'm sure,” Willow quickly answered. “I mean, even if it does look like you are breaking the known laws of physics with some of this, I bet you really aren't. If you knew all the basic stuff leading up to engineering at this level it would probably help you understand why some of it works and why some of it doesn't work right away.”  
  
Giles nodded in thought as he looked at the two girls. “Buffy, we need to get you involved in some form of schooling for your emancipation. I am now sure that it would be in your best interest if we developed a homeschooling program for you. Mr. Snyder is going to fight tooth and nail to keep you out of Sunnydale High as it is. If we can bypass that and tailor a program to your needs it should help you a great deal more than the standard fare at the high school.”  
  
”Sounds good, Watcher-mine,” Buffy chirped.  
  
”I still can't get believe you're a mutant, Buffster,” Xander finally chimed in. “I mean, being the Slayer was cool and all. But being super inventor girl is even more awesome. That means you can build us toys like lightsabers and that thingy that ups your physical abilities and we can all get in on the action.”  
  
Buffy met Xander's eyes and frowned. He was excited, a twinkling in his brown orbs showing just how much hope for the future he had. She didn't want to destroy that hope. She wanted to tell her friends that yes she could make them equipment equal to hers. With it, she knew they would be just as well protected as she was even on the front lines. The last year had shown her that no matter how much she tried to keep them off the front lines they would become targets so anything that could up their game was of the good in her mind. Still she couldn't wouldn't give them access to the equipment that had made her such a force against the demonic world. She just needed them to understand the why.  
  
”Xander, I... I can't... won't do that,” she started. Xander opened his mouth as his eyes narrowed obviously meaning to start on a rant but Buffy pressed on not letting him speak. “There are reasons for that, Xander. One reason really. I would love to make some things for you, but the equipment you saw me using tonight, that's a no go.”  
  
Taking a deep breath she faced Xander and Willow square on. Buffy noticed that Willow was apparently trying to not look at her. She looked nervous as Buffy began to explain why she couldn't share some of her most basic and most powerful tech with her friends. Buffy just pushed that curiosity to the side as she started her explanation, “Xander, what would happen to a person untrained in a lightsaber and without Jedi like reflexes if they tried to use one?”  
  
Frowning as he answered, Xander looked like he had drunk sour milk as he answered, “They'd be as much a threat to themselves as anyone else.”  
  
”Right, they would be. I do alright with one since I have my N.E.C.K. Unit hyping up my reflexes and my mutation just gives me an understanding of spatial awareness that is so off the charts that it lets me master weapons as well as a Slayer could, if not better.” Buffy blew out a breath and looked down at her feet, “I could make and calibrate N.E.C.K. Units for you both, but I couldn't do it in good faith. There is a fatal flaw in the operation of the system that I didn't discover until it was too late for me.”  
  
Giles started to polish his glasses. He had heard of this failure of foresight of Buffy's earlier in the evening when they had first come to her workshop. He understood then and there why they couldn't let the council get their hands on her technology let alone Buffy herself. They would not have the moral responsibility to prevent them from using the N.E.C.K. System on people. It's side effects would delight them in fact, of that he was growing ever more sure.  
  
”You see, my little miracle device that lets me act as the Slayer is addictive. I didn't realize it at first but it's functions that allow the rapid healing slowly destroy the bodies ability to do so itself. If I go without my N.E.C.K. unit for more than 24 hours my ability to heal will drop to less than 1/4th the rate of most people. My immune system becomes nearly H.I.V. level ineffective.” Sighing she closed her eyes then opened them, tears forming in them as she addressed her friends, “I have made myself completely dependent on my technology to preserve my own life. I could not and will not do that to my friends. I will not turn you into the junkie I have made myself. I can fashion some weapons and even armor, but the higher energy toys or anything that requires enhanced reflexes or senses to operate. Count it out. No lightsabers, no TK impact bracers, no N.E.C.K. System.”  
  
"Why not a version without the healing factor then," Xander asked intently.  
  
It wasn't Buffy that answered but Willow, "It wouldn't work, would it? The excessive stimulation of neural pathways. Overextension of muscles and tendons. All of it, even though a great deal of the extra strength, speed, and agility come from a kinetic field the unit generates over taxes the bodies normal ability to compensate. So you have to have the advanced healing on some level to even function at the heightened level. I'll bet that even a lower level of healing advancement results in the same addictive properties as well."  
  
Xander deflated as he listened to his friends arguments. He quickly realized that his hopes for joining her on the front lines had evaporated as the truth behind her N.E.C.K. device became clear to him. He almost wanted to argue that it was his choice if he wanted to risk becoming addicted to a bit of technology but stopped himself. It was a slippery moral slope that if he pushed Buffy to start down because of him she could end up tumbling all the way. He wouldn't be responsible for that. He had always tried to be the conscious of the group even when his own prejudices were part of the driving force behind his council. He wouldn't stop being true to that core of his own being for what amounted to a small bit of power.  
  
”I understand, Buffy. And thanks for looking out for us,” he said sincerely as he turned to Willow. “Well Wills, it looks like we get to keep being the normal ones after all.”  
  
Willow's face flushed white at Xander's statement and she squeaked drawing a confused look from her friends. She stood there debating what to say almost willing herself to turn invisible. It was ridiculous to fear her friends reactions now. Buffy was a mutant, exactly what she suspected she was. There was no reason to hide things from them and she could even be a help to Buffy once she learned exactly how to control her new affinity for electricity.  
  
Before she could give her own accounting of her walk to this gathering of friends she saw Xander's eyes narrow. Willow swallowed nervously as she saw her best friend re-hash what he had seen when she had come in.  
  
”Oh hell,” Xander moaned as things clicked into place for him. “You're a mutant too aren't you, Willow?”


	9. Gathering Storm

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'd like to thank Chadmaako for acting as my editor starting with this chapter. I believe that an author is only as good as the people that assist them in making their work better, and I know that my work is better for having him to work with on this project.
> 
> As before I do not own any material that falls under a copy-write. This includes but is not limited to Buffy the Vampire Slayer, DCU, the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and Starwars. I am only playing in the sandboxes that great minds gifted us with.

Gathering Storm

The Scoobies had decided to begin using the CRD building as a temporary training facility while Buffy waited for the first of her payments to come in from Stark Industries. They were still looking to purchase the building or another one for a more permanent facility. But for now, it served its purpose. One of the rooms had been converted into a dojo-slash-target range for Buffy and Willow to utilize; Willow, for honing her powers and Buffy, for her combat skills.

Willow stood staring at the wooden practice dummy that Buffy often used for hand to hand training. She narrowed her eyes as she tried to feel for that energy, that electricity that she had drawn to her the night the vampires attacked her outside the compound. It had been nearly two weeks and she had not been able to reproduce what had happened. She was beginning to doubt Giles assurances that what had occurred had not been magical in origin. If she really was a mutant like she believed should she not be able to reproduce her own power? 

Slowly she started to feel the energy around her, felt it drawing into her. Willow could almost swear that she could see the lines of electricity as it was drawn out of the overhead lights. It was slow, lethargic even, not the sudden uncontrolled rush that had happened before. She knew she would have to draw it in quicker like she had before if she was going to use her ability to help Buffy, so she slowly tried to open herself more to the power that was beginning to build.

When the hand came down on Willow's shoulder it shocked her out of her concentration. Without thought she spun in place, suddenly feeling all the electricity that had been oh so slowly coming to her slam home. Her hands lashed out pushing against the person behind her with all the strength her frightened self could apply.

Which turned out to be a great deal more than Willow or the shocked Buffy had expected.

Willow looked in shock at her friend. The blonde who had been trying to get her attention was now laying over ten feet away from her against the wall of the training room. It took a few minutes for both of them to realize what had happened as they stared at one another.

“Okay, ouch. Cool, but ouch,” Buffy finally got out as she picked herself up off the floor.

Willow blinked back tears that had been starting to build once her mind had caught up with her actions. “Oh goddess, Buffy, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to. You just scared me and I turned and I didn't mean to,” Willow babbled in response.

“Okay, so scared Willow is a dangerous Willow, gotcha,” Buffy said as she moved to stand in front of the redhead. “Still, how did you do that?”

Willow for her part looked down at her hands as if she just realized they were connected to her arms. Shaking them she looked back up at her friend as she crossed back over to her. “I'm not sure. I was practicing drawing in the electricity from the lights and...and you just startled me.”

“So something with your electric thingy?”

“Electrokinesis,” Willow muttered absently. Flexing her hands a few times she wondered where the extra strength had come from. Her mind raced over the possibilities as she considered what she knew. “I control electricity. I can even absorb it. We know that I can store it. The human body generates electricity, functions because of it to a degree. Maybe I just...I dunno...amped myself up,” she postulated.

“So supercharged Willow makes for super strong Willow,” Buffy simplified. “Uh...well then you know what that means right?”

Willow started to shake her head as she began to answer but found herself cut off by Buffy's fist suddenly flying towards her face. She dropped down, ducking under the punch, before skittering backward. Buffy didn't let her get far before she launched a kick out towards Willow. She rolled sideways to get away from her barely dodging the flying foot. Buffy's next strike came in from above. Using the same leg she had kicked with she raised it up and brought it down in an axe kick. Willow threw her hands up blocking her friends leg and pushed back, knocking the blonde off balance for a moment.

The next few minutes flew by for the redhead as her friend kept pressing her. Strike followed kick followed strike, over and over again, never giving her a moment’s respite. She repeatedly tried to yell at Buffy wanting to know what she was doing but the blonde kept coming faster and faster. The impromptu fight came to a sudden end when Willow felt the surge of energy drain from her body. Her reaction time suddenly dropped and she caught a backhand to her chest that sent her tumbling into the practice dummy.

Buffy grimaced as she watched her friend hit the dummy and shook her head, “Yep that's what it means. We need to train you. Strong and fast you may be. It's possible you might even be faster than I am with my N.E.C.K. System running full out. But you can't take a hit worth diddly squat. A knocked senseless Willow is not a helpful Willow.”

To her credit Willow pushed herself up feeling a strange sense of calm. It took her a moment to realize it was the shock of having her ass kicked literally before she reached up and gently touched her lip. She felt blood but not too much.

Willow picked herself up off the floor with a nod and shot a playful grin Buffy's direction. “Okay, then enlighten me.”

~~~

Annalyse watched the girl below her throw the vampire bodily into the wall of a mausoleum with enough force that bits of concrete and brick broke away from it. The dark haired young woman quickly followed behind him and slammed a stake into the undead monster's heart rendering it to nothing more than dust. She bit her lip in consternation as she tried to figure out what this meant.

She had decided to make contact with the Slayer. She and her boyfriend had somehow been responsible for opening a portal to her home dimension and with the war against Brainiac raging that was dangerous. So she had come to the conclusion that for that reason alone she needed to talk to her to ensure it didn't happen again no matter how much she might want to personally get back home. Besides that she had learned long ago it was only polite to introduce yourself to a local cape when you came into their territory. It saved a lot of headaches and potentially mistaken identities in the long run.

The problem she now found herself in was that the girl she was watching was obviously the Slayer. She had followed her for nearly three hours. During the entire time, the dark haired girl had moved from cemetery to cemetery hunting the undead that stalked their otherwise quiet lawns. Yet she was not the Slayer Annalyse had expected to find. The vampire had been quite insistent that the blonde she had briefly met that first night she had been in Sunnydale was the Slayer.

She had also learned about the rule of one that existed for Slayers. Only death brought about the next Slayer and that worried her. Had the two weeks she had taken setting up an identity and getting funds together to support herself while here resulted in the Slayers death? If it had, and she could have prevented it, it made her responsible. At least, that was how she saw it.

Annalyse let out a quiet sigh as she watched the woman turn to walk away. 'New Slayer or not, it doesn't matter. I still need to introduce myself,' she mentally chided.

Flying down she landed in front of the woman by a good 10 feet and let the invisibility her ring had been providing her with fall away. The sudden look of shock on the Slayer's face as the tiny blonde form of Annalyse in her Star Sapphire uniform brought a slight case of the giggles for the guardian of love.

“Hi,” she started trying to smile brightly, “I thought I should introduce myself.”

The shocked look quickly passed off the brunette Slayers face and into a smirk. Crossing her arms she tilted her head slightly, “Alright, so who are you? The patron demon of prostitutes?”

Annalyse had to stop and look down at herself at that comment. Her uniform though provocative was not what she had ever considered slutty. Its simple one piece design didn't expose even as much as the bikinis she had seen women wear. The boots that rose up to her lower mid thigh had an extensive heel at five inches but she had never given them much thought between the balance provided by her Kryptonian heritage and power ring.

“No,” she managed to stutter out finally turning a glare back to the Slayer. “My name is Annalyse.”

The Slayer's smirk did not dim in the least. If anything it seemed to grow broader as Annalyse realized the comment had been meant to throw her off. “Pretty normal name for a demon,” the Slayer responded. “I'm Faith, I'll be your Slayer this evening. Though I’m guessing you already knew that.”

Faith moved suddenly, her fist lashing out at Annalyse. She stood still, trusting in her Kryptonian skin to protect her. She knew from the stories that the vampire had related to her that Slayers were strong, but not as strong as even her half Kryptonian DNA made her. When the fist slammed into her jaw and she actually felt it and was forced to take several stumbling steps backward her eyes flashed open in surprise.

“Didn't expect that to hurt so much did ya,” Faith taunted from her spot that was now a few feet away. “Guess you didn't get the memo that Slayers are stronger than they look.”

Faith leapt forward again, her foot flashing out, this time to strike at the blonde superheroes head. Annalyse dropped down into a roll under it and came up behind Faith faster than the Slayer could track. Suddenly she found herself surrounded by violet light that pinned her arms to her side and lifted her from the ground.

“Damn it, that hurt,” Annalyse muttered as she walked around in front of the Slayer. “And I knew of your strength but did not expect it to be sufficient enough to harm me. Now can we please do this without you trying to attack me? That was what I was trying to avoid.”

Faith struggled within the bands of energy that had trapped her. Rage flared in her eyes as they locked onto the blue orbs of her captor’s. “Oh yeah, right. Like I believe a demon shows up to introduce herself and doesn't want a fight.”

'She must be able to sense non-humans,' Annalyse realized. That was something she had not learned of from her interrogation of the vampire. “I am not a demon, Faith. Though I am not human either. Or at least, I am only half human,” she tried to explain to the Vampire Slayer. “The other half of my linage is extra-terrestrial in origin, not extra-dimensional.”

Faith narrowed her eyes as she looked at the blonde before her. She had spent her formative years on the streets of Boston. Her bullshit meter was as tuned as anyone who managed to survive the type of life she had grown up in and it was not twigging at the explanation given. She was about to call bullshit on the explanation anyways but something in the blondes eyes stopped her.

“Okay, I'll bite for now. Alien, not a demon. Doesn't make you the good girl,” Faith told her all the while keeping a glare on her face.

Annalyse sighed and released Faith from the binding of her power ring. “No, I suppose it does not. I wanted to introduce myself to the Slayer though to avoid exactly what occurred tonight. I had expected the blonde one, but if you are here then that means she must be dead.”

Annalyse's comment set Faith's mind in motion. Her eyes narrowed to peer at Annalyse as she shook the feeling back into her arms. “The blonde one, you've met the Slayer here in Sunnydale?” she finally asked. “Cuz if you did, me being here don't mean shit about her being dead.”

“What?” Annalyse asked now confused. “How could it not? I was told there was only ever one Slayer and the power only passed on with one’s death.”

Faith chuckled deep and low in her throat. She watched as Annalyse visibly shivered at the sound and made a mental note of it. Nodding she started to walk from the graveyard. “Seems whoever gave you your intel is a bit behind the times. Come on. We're both looking for the same person anyways so we might as well look together.”

Annalyse started to follow after Faith but couldn't help but ask. “So now you trust me?”

Faith chuckled again and shook her head. “Hell no, I don't trust you. But whatever that voodoo you have is, I've got a better chance of taking you out with another Slayer at my back than solo,” she told her honestly.

Annalyse could only shake her head at the other girl's logic as they headed out into the city together.

~~~

Willow and Buffy had been sparring since before Xander, Oz, and Giles had walked into the training room. It had been nearly thirty minutes now with only a few short breaks in the action when Buffy had knocked Willow on her ass. So far Willow had yet to manage to put Buffy down, though from what Giles could tell she had landed several telling blows of her own on the blonde girl.

When the three of them had first come upon the sight of the two girls moving with such speed and power it had left them silently stunned. They had all gotten used to Buffy moving with supernatural speed, but had never seen Willow do so. It had taken only a moment to realize that Willow was in fact not yet comfortable with the power she was displaying and that Buffy was trying to help the other girl learn to use it. After watching the pair, Giles had noticed a pattern. Fifteen minutes later, he was indeed certain of it. Five minutes would pass; during that time, Willow was moving faster than Buffy, but without the skill his young charge possessed. Then it would suddenly drop down to normal levels for a few moments before picking back up to its previous speeds. Each time the lights above them flickered ever so slightly as if browning out.

'An effect of her powers,' he came to realize. 'Drawing in the electricity to supercharge herself. Yet it appears she is still slowing faster than Buffy is.'

Giles' silent observation was spot on. Willow had realized after the third cycle of powering up and then draining herself that each time she felt slightly more worn out, slightly more winded, and that her top speed and reaction time was slowing little by little. She wasn't sure how much longer she could keep going when Buffy dropped her to the mat once more and called an end to their sparring session.

The sound of clapping drew the attention of the two girls to their audience. Xander grinned ear to ear as Oz stepped forward to help his girlfriend to her feet. Willow blushed slightly as she realized he had been watching the sparring session with Buffy.

“Hey Giles, you've got a new student,” Buffy said to her Watcher with her own grin on her face. “And I don't have to bruise you up as badly during our training anymore.”

With a nod Giles took his glasses off and started to polish them as he stepped more fully into the room. “Quite. It seems that Willow discovered a new way to use her electrokinesis. It would be prudent for her to learn the basics of hand to hand combat and with the speed she demonstrated she will be suited for what is generally taught to slayers as well.”

Still blushing Willow smiled under the praise. She had never been one of the jock girls, having always avoided physical sports and endeavors. She had always preferred the realm of computers and science over that of a sports field. “I um, wasn't that fast. I mean, yeah I could move quick but nothing like Buffy can. And I'm not nearly as strong as her when I, you know, charge up or anything.”

Xander shook his head and clapped both the girls on their shoulders, “Nonsense Will. You should have seen yourself. You looked like you were moving faster than Buffy.”

Oz nodded in agreement as he wrapped one arm around his girlfriend, drawing her close to himself. “Get some training, you'll be even with her,” he told her simply.

Buffy drew out from Xander's hand on her shoulder and headed towards the door, the rest of the group following, “Well, as much fun as that was, and they’re right Willow you so could keep up with me with some training, it's patrol time for Buffy. You coming, Willow?”

Willow looked down to the floor and bit her lip before answering, “Well, I don't know. I mean, I still haven't figured out how to control things yet with my power. I would probably just get in your way, Buffy.”

The group turned into the weapons room. Within were all of the gadgets that Buffy had put together or was still working on. She quickly donned a black belt that had two lightsabers hanging from it then slipped on her kinetic bracers. “Again with the nonsense making, Willow. You figured out how to do that charge thingy tonight pretty quick. I'll bet if we get you out in the field you'll figure out the rest of it just as quick,” Buffy told her as she moved over to another table and started filling a backpack with various items.

“Buffy likely is correct,” Giles said as he studied the redhead. “The first manifestation of your powers was during a traumatic event. What precipitated tonight's discovery?”

Buffy started to giggle as Willow turned bright red. Looking back and forth between them Xander got a grin on his face, “Buffy spooked you, didn't she Willow? Let me guess you turned around and socked her one?”

Walking past Xander as she slung her backpack onto her shoulders, Buffy smacked Xander lightly upside the head and made her way over to the traditional weapons of vampire slaying. As she loaded up on stakes and holy water she glanced back at the group, “I came in and touched her shoulder. It spooked her so she turned around and pushed me not knowing who it was. Ended up becoming flying Buffy until the wall got in the way.”

“Yes, well that would seem to support your theory then. Willow, it would probably be best if you accompanied Buffy tonight and on future patrols. Likely actual use in the field rather than in safety will help advance your control quicker,” Giles said with a nod.

“Besides,” Buffy said as she put an arm around Willow's shoulders with a grin, “It's not like we’re going to find anything serious. Just going to go fledge hunting and keep the local undead population down. What could happen?”

As Buffy started to lead Willow out and handed her several stakes Xander just groaned. “She just had to say it.” He muttered, quietly.

~~~

He had really begun to hate humans. He had lived among them for so long – never really a part of their society, but moving through it – that he had started to forget how annoying they could be. As he sat with his hand in his lap, twisting it in frustration, the memory had started to resurface.

A simple trip to California to discover what had gone wrong and try to put it back on track. That was all it had meant to be. Hop a flight to LA, then drive up to Sunnydale and have a few words with the Slayer. Simple, easy, nothing complicated to it. What could go wrong with that? Humans never paid attention to him, he was insignificant to them.

Then the insignificant man spent two weeks in this powers’ blasted room. It turned out insignificant was enough to attract the attention of someone in authority with the humans. He still wasn't sure who that someone was. The three people who had questioned him so far, a younger man who was solid muscle and moved like a trained hunter, a red head that simply oozed sex so strongly that he thought she could kill him with it, and an older man whose smile projected a sense of both welcoming understanding and intense menace, had all been the second string. He had yet to meet the one actually behind the capture. Hell, he wasn't even sure who they were. None had yet to even give him a name.

The door to his room opened. It had been two days sense the older man had left him without anything. He was nothing if not resistant and stubborn and refused to answer these humans questions other than demanding a lawyer. Each time they had simply looked at him like he was obtuse and resumed questioning him. Now as he watched a new man walk into the room he started to wish he had answered their questions.

The man was dark-skinned, African-American in ethnicity. He wore jeans and a black t-shirt beneath a black leather jacket. His head was smooth, whether from baldness or not, it was far too smooth to be anything but a deliberate choice now. Dark whiskers framed his mouth in a goatee and a patch covered one eye. Each step was made casually, not unlike a panther stalking its latest meal. As that one eye turned to face him he could not help but swallow nervously.

The human sat down at the table across from him. He made no movement, placed nothing but his hands on the table, and said nothing. He simply watched, his one-eyed gaze digging deep into the other man. Seconds ticked by, then minutes and still the dark stranger stared. The insignificant man swallowed again, sweat beading on his forehead.

The one-eyed man leaned forward and the insignificant one jerked back as if slapped. He never smiled but the satisfaction seeped off the one eyed man in response. When he finally spoke, his voice was soft yet harder than steel and as level as a straight edge. “I know who you are. I know what you are. What I want to know is why where you heading to California,” the one-eyed man asked.

The insignificant man swallowed again before answering. “If you know who I am, you know you can't hold me. When I find out who you are...”

“What, you don't know that already?” The one-eyed man interrupted. “Let me make it easy for you. Nick Fury, Director of S.H.I.E.L.D.” He gave the man a rather predatory smile. “And until you’ve answered all my questions, you ain’t goin’ anywhere...Mr. Whistler.”

The insignificant man paled.

~~~

The first three cemeteries had made for a successful night slaying. Buffy was smiling brightly as she and Willow entered what was going to be their last stop for the evening. After, they planned to make their way to Giles’ flat. Yet Buffy's smile was nothing compared to the mega-watt grin that was plastered on Willow's face. Buffy and Giles had been right. All it had taken to learn how to draw out the power inside herself was the right motivation.

That spark of motivation had come when four vampires suddenly had the two of them surrounded. Where they had come from Willow had no idea, but their sudden appearance and thinly veiled threats of death had done what hours of practice had not. Willow had found that spark inside her that drew electricity to her like a moth to the flame. Then as Buffy ignited one of her lightsabers and stepped into battle with two of the vampires, Willow set about demonstrating what happened to a moth that finally touched the flame.

That first conscious use of her power had not immediately fried both vampires as the initial raging explosion of her mutation had. However, it had left one of them on the ground twitching in such a fashion that Willow couldn't help but giggle. Minute sparks kept leaping about his skin. Once she had the confidence to do the deed, however, she found it a simple thing to draw the electricity from the nearby light posts and direct it to her targets. She did discover that drawing enough to set them aflame would burn out her source of electricity and she had to start drawing off more than one, lest Sunnydale have a sudden drop in usable light fixtures.

The second cemetery, Buffy had insisted that Willow practice using her charged up state for physical combat. To ease Willow into it, she made certain to keep it to vampires fresh from the grave; those that hadn’t had time to adjust to their new-found condition. It had been a rush for the tiny redhead who had never thought she could come remotely close to Buffy's level of physicality. After she had staked three newly risen vampires, she had to admit to Buffy that it was fun to pummel her enemy senselessly.

Their third cemetery had only netted them two of the undead, which Buffy had groused about not getting to test a new grenade she had developed that deployed aerosolized holy water. Willow had beaten her to the punch and drawn power out of a dozen different light posts nearby and flash fried the two vamps.

As the friends moved into the last cemetery, Buffy held up a hand. She frowned for a moment before turning to Willow, “Fighting further in. The guys went home, right?” she asked her fellow mutant.

Willow nodded as concern flashed across her face. “Yeah, Giles said he would drop them off. They wouldn't....” Willow stopped and thought about what she was going to say.

“Only Xander would be stupid enough,” Buffy started to say and Willow nodded in agreement.

The two moved quickly deeper into the cemetery, Willow drawing in the electricity around her while Buffy dug into her pack to bring out and ready one of her sun grenades. They were practically flying as they came into sight of the ongoing fight that had drawn their attention and were surprised at what they found.

It wasn't Xander but a brunette girl who moved with such speed that neither of the girls had seen before except in themselves and the vampires they fought against. She was surrounded by six of the undead though and despite the speed and strength she was displaying she looked to be in trouble. Blood dripped from several cuts and her face was a mass of bruising.

Nearby was another girl who Buffy instantly recognized. It was the blonde in the strange costume from the portal. She herself looked like she was fairing better than her companion, if only slightly. From the way she moved, Buffy guessed she likely had several broken ribs though none of the obvious wounds like her counterpart. Though the near dozen vampires surrounding her and what appeared to be two demons flinging some form of energy at her seemed set to change that.

Without breaking stride, Buffy glanced at Willow and made a snap decision. “You help the Slayer,” she told her friend as she pointed to the brunette. “I'll take portal girl's friends.”

Willow nodded in agreement and pushed herself faster as she started to gather the electricity from the nearby light posts as she ran past them. Each one added to her building charge until she felt she had reached critical mass and released it. The bolt of lightning that flew from her outstretched hand flung itself forward striking her first target and incinerating him instantly. She then arced the stream of deadly electrons into a second and third vampire turning them to dust just as readily. When the bolt hit the fourth vampire, it failed to dust him, but it did drop him to the ground in convulsions as the electricity assaulted his body.

Buffy took that moment to lob her sun grenade at the group fighting the other blonde. As the small round silver orb rolled in between them and stopped at the Star Sapphires feet she blinked and made to take for the air when it went off. The bright flash of light sent the vampires screaming as they were blinded and their exposed skin was scorched. Annalyse, however, had the exact opposite reaction. The artificial sunlight was like an energy drink for her and revitalized her flagging constitution.

“Okay now that's what I call a bug zapper,” Faith crowed as her opponents suddenly thinned out.

The remarked caused Willow to shout indignantly; “I am not a bug zapper!”

Buffy grinned as she ignited both of her lightsabers and cut through two of the blinded vampires as she sidled up to the other blonde, “Yeah but you gotta admit these guys are big with the roach mentality, Wills.”

Annalyse now recovering from most of the damage dealt to her so far nodded as she formed her own blade of energy with her ring, “Lift a rock and a dozen come scurrying out. Can you handle the demons?” She asked as she took the head of one of the dazed vampires rendering it to dust. When Buffy looked to her for an explanation she pointed with her chin, “They used magic to drain me once already and I have no defense against their attacks.”

Buffy nodded as she grinned and gave her light sabers a twirl, “Two demon shishkabobs coming right up,” She chirped. With a quick step, she beheaded a vampire then leapt over the undead to land between the group and the magic flinging demons.

The demons quickly started to target Buffy, drawing in their magical reserves and flinging them at the blonde mutant. Grinning she twisted and swatted the first two bolts of magical energy out of the air and into nearby tombstones which exploded into dust. Seeing the destruction the deflected blasts caused Buffy to grin.

“Oh this is going to be fun.”

~~~

The fight was over almost as quickly as Buffy and Willow had joined it. Faith and Willow had made quick work of the last two mobile vampires. Once done, they quickly moved to help Annalyse finish off the remaining light-stunned vampires.

Buffy herself had little difficulty with the demonic duo. Their magical bolts of energy had been rendered ineffectual by quick work with her lightsabers. They swished and crackled as she mimicked the movies that had inspired them. Once she had gotten within 15 feet of the pair she had stopped and simply started deflecting the bolts that came flying back at her. That bit of fun had lasted until the demons realized the vampires were all dust and they were the only ones remaining. Thinking that Buffy seemed reluctant to close with them they had tried to flee. They didn't get more than three steps before they heard Buffy grumbling about them leaving before she was done. By their fourth step both were without their heads.

Now, with the dust settled, the four took stock of one another. Faith was looking over the twin cylinders now hanging from Buffy's belt with a gleam in her eye that Buffy recognized. It said 'new toy' to anyone with eyes to see. Annalyse was also looking closely at Buffy, though not only at her visible equipment. Willow was simply grinning ear to ear still on the upswing from her electrical super charge and combat rush. Buffy for her part was studying Annalyse closely. This was the person who had saved her from killing Angel and closed a portal to hell. She had come through that same portal though which concerned both Buffy and her Watcher.

“Not that I don't enjoy a good slay,” Faith said finally breaking into the slowly building tension. “But that was a little over the top even for me. Thanks for the assist. So who are you two? Local welcoming commitee?”

Buffy and Willow shared a brief glance before turning back to the other two. “Buffy Summers,” Buffy offered then nodded to Willow, “and Willow Rosenberg, you?” The redhead gave a little wave.

Faith grinned as she looked to Annalyse. “Well shit. Told you she was still alive, didn't I?” Looking back to Buffy and tilted her head, her grin turning into a cocky smirk. “I'm Faith, the Vampire Slayer.”

~~~

Further away as the foursome introduced themselves to one another someone else was left frowning. It had been expensive hiring the demons with their magic to go after the Slayer and the vampires had consisted of nearly all of his bosses remaining followers. The ambush would have been successful even with the Slayers oddly dressed ally, but he had not expected outside help to suddenly join in the fight.

Turning away from the graveyard Mr. Trick quickly made his way back to the streets where a black car with darkly tinted windows awaited him. Wordlessly, he slid into the backseat. The driver pulled away from the curb, heading into the night. Mr. Trick reached for the car phone and quickly dialed a number from memory.

When the call was picked up he spoke quickly yet with a calm voice, “No, Master. The ambush was not successful.” He paused. “She was assisted by three others.” He again waited for the other to finish speaking. “I don’t know if one of them was a Slayer. If not, they’re most likely witches or casters of some sort.” He looked at his perfectly manicured nails as the other speaker went on a violent tirade. “Yes, Sir, I'll make the arrangements.”

Mr. Trick then disconnected the call and dialed a second number. When it was picked up a smile crossed his lips. “Good evening, Mr. Wilkins. I'd like to make arrangements on behalf of my employer to come and take care of some unfinished business.” He continued to grin. “My boss? You might have heard of him. His name is Kakistos...” He was cut off. “Yes. That Kakistos.” He chuckled as heard the Mayor of Sunnydale swallow with fear.


	10. Introductions

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'd like to again thank my Beta Reader, Chadmaako. I know he takes time from his busy life to assist me by Beta Reading these new chapters and I find them to be superior works thanks to his assistence. I'd much rather add 2 to 4 days to my publishing cycle to have him Beta Read for me than post with out doing so. So if things seem to have slown down that is only because we both prefer to produce quality over mass quantity.
> 
> And a special shout to MeJA who comments on pretty much every chapter. I love comments, they make me smile and often give me something to gab about with my commenters.
> 
> Speaking of which, MeJA when you going to get an account? I'd love to bounce random plot bunnies off you. Need to I.M. lol
> 
> Okay and now, own with the show!

**Introductions**

 

“When is it you plan on leaving then?” Giles questioned as he stood to refill his drink.

 

Across from him sat Angel, his eyes downcast to the floor as he squeezed his hands together. “Tonight is what you'd like,” He replied before holding up a hand to stop any protests on the Watcher’s part. “No, don’t deny it. We both know you never approved of the... relationship between Buffy and myself. Combined with what it was that Angelus...with what I did, you have every right to want me out of town as quickly as possible.”

 

Giles took a sip from his scotch and thought for a moment before nodding. “Quite right. If for no other reason than how in danger you might be, were Xander to realize you are still in town.” At Angel’s disbelieving glance, Giles shrugged. “Believe it or not, as you will. The boy has a strong protective streak of all of us. Prior to what occurred I'd have included you within that sphere of protection no matter how much he personally disliked you. You were an ally if nothing else. Now he sees you as a threat to the Slayer and everyone else. He also knows the difficulty that Buffy has had when fighting you. He may make it his personal mission to ensure you are incapable of harming her again if you stay.”

 

Angel reluctantly nodded. “Xander would be right. I am a danger to Buffy. The more I go over what happened, the more I believe I was manipulated into coming here for precisely that reason,” The ensouled vampire admitted.

 

“Pardon me?” Giles said with shock obvious in his voice. “What on earth do you mean manipulated? And by whom?”

 

Angel slumped back against the chair, one hand rising to press his fingers against his temples as he thought back. His memory took him back a few years ago to New York. “There was a balance demon who calls himself Whistler. He found me in New York then drug me to L.A. to see Buffy as she was called. He convinced me that she would survive there, but would need my aid here in Sunnydale when that fight was over. I was a mess back then, living off of rats in the sewers and avoiding humanity as much as I could. I don't think I had taken a shower in nearly a decade when he found me,” Angel explained to the other man.

 

Giles sat and took another sip of his drink as he pondered what Angel had said. “Why do you now believe he was manipulating you? Surely there is more to it than his introduction to the Slayer.”

 

Angel nodded again then looked up to Giles, “He claimed he was a messenger for a higher power. He called them the Powers that Be. He told me he was granted visions by these powers to guide champions of good.”

 

It was Giles turn to start nodding in understanding, “Yet if he was on the side of good, why would he represent the balance? Additionally, if he truly was meant to guide agents of these higher powers, why would they place you here where in such a situation?”

 

 

“Exactly,” Angel responded. “At the very least it makes me suspicious of his motives. And if he does serve as a messenger then it makes me wonder what game these higher powers are playing. Either way, until I know for certain I am not a danger to Buffy or the rest of you, I need to leave.”

 

“Yes well, I can see what information the council has on these Powers that Be and perhaps even Whistler. I imagine he wanted you to keep his existence a secret from Buffy and I,” Giles queried as he rose from his seat and moved to a shelf of books.

 

“He was insistent on it. He told me that if you knew you would never trust my working with the Slayer.” Angel sighed as he looked back to the floor. “I should have known then and there something was wrong. I learned long ago that keeping secrets from your allies usually came to bite you in the ass.”

 

“Quite, but they say hindsight is twenty-twenty. I cannot claim I do not have a.. discomfort... being in your presence, Angel. What your demon did to me was horrific, though nothing compared to what Drusilla put me through. That aside though, you are a human soul being forced to coexist with a demon. The torture that must be is nothing compared to what I experienced. I only wish Jenny had trusted us more to tell us what it was she had been working on with that curse of yours.”

 

Angel looked up perplexed for a moment before asking, “What about it? Obviously, you and Willow managed to reconstruct it from her notes. What else could she have been doing?”

 

Giles finally gave up looking through his books and sat back down. Pain was etched on his face as he thought back to Jenny Calender and the position she had put them all in. “I believe she was working on a way to modify the curse. By its nature, a curse is black magic and detrimental to the soul of the one casting it. It is only good fortune that Willow has shown no side effects herself. I can only think that this was because she cast the spell with only the purest of intentions. From what little I was able to decipher from Jenny's private notes, which I have not let the children see, she was attempting to alter the curse. At the very least, alter its intentions.”

 

Angel leaned forward resting his elbows on his knees as he clasped his hands together, “Modify it how? To be more punishing?”

 

The Watcher simply shook his head before finishing his drink. When he spoke his voice was deep and serious but filled with a touch of hope as well. “No, I believe she was trying to make your soul permanent and cast out your demon all at once.”

 

Angel considered this for a moment before rising to his feet. “If you find anything looking into that, you'll let me know?” He asked softly and hopefully.

 

Giles nodded as Angel quietly stepped towards the back door through the kitchen. “Alright. I'm going to head out. I can hear Buffy down the street. I'd rather not...” He said with a shrug.

 

Giles understood the meaning and nodded to him. “Yes, I believe that is for the best as well. I'll call you if I manage to find anything out about your Whistler.”

 

Angel nodded and slipped out the back door and into the darkness of Sunnydale without another sound.

 

Giles sat as he thought over the potential consequences if Angel was correct. The thought that someone had manipulated the ensouled vampire in an attempt to kill or otherwise subvert his young charge concerned him. Perhaps the only small comfort to this was the fact that true or not, it appeared this Whistler and whoever he worked for believed Buffy was the Slayer. That added one more layer to ensuring the council did not discover the true source of her abilities.

 

The sound of his front door opening brought him out of his private thoughts as he looked up to the clock. It was a bit earlier than he expected Buffy to be home from patrol but not to any great extent. He stood, stretching a little, intent on greeting the young girl who had placed herself into his care. He was only brought up short as he heard Buffy's voice call out from the entryway of his apartment.

 

“Giles, we have guests,” she called out to him.

 

Curiosity led him as he stepped into view of the front door. Behind Buffy and Willow were two young women who he did not know. One he recognized from Buffy's debriefing after her fight with Angelus. It was the strange woman who had come through the portal. Her appearance took him by surprise at first. He knew intellectually that both Angel and Buffy had claimed she was a near twin for Buffy but that had not prepared him. It was her eyes that were the only real difference, a bright sparkling blue instead of the darker green of his charge.

 

Standing next to her was another young woman. She was slightly taller than her companion with dark curly hair that fell past her shoulders. Her chocolate colored eyes danced about as she took everything in. When she moved to follow the other children in, Giles nearly gasped.

 

“So you spotted the Hellmouth's newest Slayer,” Buffy said with a smile as she caught Giles attention. Her eyes met his for a moment and he saw the worry within them before she stepped past him and into the kitchen to fetch drinks. “Willow and I found them out in Crestwood surrounded by over a dozen vamps and two demons that were serious with the mojo flinging,” She reported as she dug around in the refrigerator.

 

“Yeah, it was serious rumble time,” The new Slayer commented offhandedly. “We would have handled it fine but these two came running in all eager and shit. Figured why hog all the fun for ourselves.”

 

“Faith, you two were in serious trouble, and Annalyse was hurt. If we hadn't shown up they could have killed you,” Willow retorted as she shot a glare towards the dark haired slayer.

 

Giles cleared his throat putting an end to the argument before it could get truly started. Buffy came out of the kitchen holding four cans of soda and passed them out to the other teens before sitting down and opening hers. Giles took his own seat and motioned for the two newcomers to find their own places to sit as Willow joined Buffy on the couch.

 

“Yes, well however it occurred, I am pleased that you all survived,” Giles started calmly. “Willow said your names were Faith,” he said as he nodded to the new slayer, “and Annalyse. Welcome to Sunnydale, though I wish the council would be a bit more prompt in informing us when new Slayers are going to be arriving.”

 

Buffy rolled her eyes then nodded in agreement, “No kidding, at least this time it didn't end up with us trying to kill each other. I'll take small miracles where I can get them.”

 

“Quite, now that does still leave us with a few questions. Faith, where is your Watcher?”

 

Faith shrugged her shoulders as she took one of the armchairs and settled into it before answering, “Diana said something about a retreat in England. Told me to head out here and she would get a hold of me when she was back in the states. Wanted me to meet Miss Super Slayer.”

 

Giles narrowed his eyes as he watched Faith closely for several moments. He knew the girl was not telling him the truth. If the council had recalled a Watcher in charge of a Slayer they would either have recalled them both or sent at the least a temporary replacement, if not a permanent one. A feeling of dread settled into his stomach as he considered the possibilities of what could have occurred to leave Faith alone and without a Watcher to aid her.

 

Shaking off his feeling of ill omen he simply nodded. 'Not much I can do about it right now anyway. I'll have to make a few calls to England and find out what has occurred.'

 

Turning to the other new girl he looked her over closely before speaking, his tone colder than either Buffy or Willow had heard before, “And you dear girl, what are you and why are you here? We know you are a demon of some sort since you came from a portal to a hell dimension.”

 

The costumed blonde simply groaned as she formed a chair of violet light and sat down on it. She looked over to Faith with an expression of disbelief that was met by a knowing smirk from Faith. Finally, Annalyse turned back to Giles and rolled her eyes. “As I told Faith, I am not a demon. And the portal you opened up? Not to a hell dimension. It was to an alternate reality where we are in the middle of a war.”

 

~~~

 

 

“So she's an alien from another earth that is in the middle of fighting off some Skynet wanna be alien,” Xander asked as he picked up his second donut of the morning.

 

“More or less,” Buffy confirmed. “I didn't listen too much once we got to the part that she's not a demon and is on the side of fashion.”

 

“Side of... what? I thought you said she was good,” Xander said as he looked to his second best female friend in confusion.

 

“Yep, that's exactly what I said. Anyone who loves fashion is so on the side of good. Just look at me,” Buffy replied with a grin.

 

“Yeah, and we can't use Cordelia as an example since you are dating her, Xander,” Willow helpfully added as she snuggled into the side of Oz.

 

As the group started discussing the events of the previous night, Buffy leaned back and sipped her coffee. She was thankful for small moments like this. Brief respites from the unending nights of patrolling Sunnydale and keeping it's demon population in check. She knew that they didn't get to do this sort of thing as often as they should and it saddened her. Yet she couldn't feel too terrible, despite the drama of her mother kicking her out, or their nightly battles against the forces of evil. She had friends who accepted her, two of which knew exactly how it felt to be different and being forced to hide it.

 

Frowning she leaned forward and cut Xander off before he could go on another tirade about the benefits of spandex as body armor, “There's something you guys need to keep in mind,” she said barely above a whisper. “Faith, the new slayer, believes I'm a Slayer too. To top it off we told her Willow was a witch, as in Wiccan type of witch. We don't want her to find out we're mutants until we know we can trust her not to tell the council.”

 

Willow nodded in agreement and Oz did as well with a casual, “Cool,” thrown in. Xander, however, was frowning.

 

“Why not tell her? I mean, the council assists the Slayer and you've been the Slayer for two years even if you weren't. Why would they care if you were a mutant that fell into their gig of killing vampires?”

 

Buffy sighed as she leaned back in her chair and cautiously explained the situation they were in. “Because the council isn't all tweed and tea. When I was hurt that first night, I went out with Angel after the whole Acathla thing. Giles started trying to research why I apparently lost my Slayer abilities. He didn't know my N.E.C.K. unit was broke and needed to be replaced. What he found was...disturbing.”

 

A shiver swept through Buffy's body as she thought back to some of the things Giles had found. They had not painted a kind or even helpful picture of the council. “The council says they are supposed to support the Slayer in her duties. From what we've been digging up, though, they have been as much a hindrance as a help. Did you know they drugged Merrick's previous Slayer, without his consent or knowledge mind you, then locked her in a basement with a Master Vampire?”

 

Buffy closed her eyes at the thought of her first Watcher who had done so much for her. After a brief pause, she continued to explain what Giles had found. “Then there was the one back in 1941 that wanted to fight against the Nazi's. The council had proof that the Germans were using vampires and demons as shock troops early in the war but told the Slayer she was to stay out of Europe and just concentrate on ensuring London was clear of vampires. When she went against orders and went to Europe anyways, they had her captured then turned her over to the Nazi's to experiment on as punishment.”

 

By the time Buffy finished her two gruesome examples of the council's kindness her friends had all paled. Knowing that Buffy had associated herself with such a group by claiming the title of Slayer horrified them. Seeing her message sink in she nodded to her friends. “Exactly. So we have to keep quiet. If they start to see us as a threat they might try to come after us.”

 

Buffy felt a hand touch hers and glanced down the followed the attached arm to its logical end. Finding a smiling Willow looking at her, Buffy couldn't help but smile in return. Willow slid her fingers in between Buffy's and sat there holding her hand like that for two or three beats of their hearts before speaking up.

 

“Besides, Xander. You have to admit it's nice having something that's all our own,” She said, never taking her eyes off of Buffy.

 

The two girls sat looking at each other for several moments before they were startled back to reality as Xander cleared his throat. Willow drew her hand back and wrapped herself back around Oz who simply watched the interaction passively. His eyes met with Xander's for a brief moment before the usual relaxed atmosphere fell back across the table.

 

“So... not telling the newbies what is going on. Not the greatest of ideas, Buff, but I don't know what else we could do. If the council is that rotten...” Xander said letting his voice trail off.

 

“We shouldn't keep them in the dark too long,” Oz offered. “Not telling them could bite us just as bad as telling them, you get right down to it.”

 

“Well, we're supposed to start patrolling together,” Buffy informed the two boys. “Giles wants Faith and me to head out and see what is going on. Hopefully, I can get a read on how she'll react that way.”

 

Xander picked up another donut and settled back into his chair in thought as he took a bite. Swallowing he looked back to Buffy questioningly. “What about the other girl, Annalyse? What is she going to be doing?”

 

Willow quickly picked up the conversation as she leaned forward, her voice trembling with excitement. “She's going to come over to Giles and meet with us. She wants to learn more about Sunnydale before she puts her foot into something she doesn't understand. And Giles wants to learn how she managed to close the Acathla portal without killing Angel.”

 

“So Willow gets her geek on and Buffy gets her slay on. What about those of us without mighty powers of destruction or insight?” Xander asked. Oz watched his friends face closely and frowned at what he saw.

 

Buffy shrugged as she took a drink of her coffee, “You get the night off I guess. No apocalypse coming down since we just stopped one. That means no need to go research crazy. And with Faith and Annalyse here now on top of Willow and me, it's not like we can't keep the vamps under control.”

 

Xander started to shift in his seat as he grimaced. Before he could spout off a comment without thinking Oz spoke up, “You can come by my place. Band practice and pizza,” He offered, hoping to stop any potential arguments before they got rolling.

 

At the mention of pizza Xander's face lit up and he nodded with a grin. “Okay, pizza and tunes. Sounds good. I need a night without something trying to kill me.”

 

~~~

 

Buffy's lightsaber hummed as she ducked under the spine covered fist of one of the demons. She twisted, bringing the iridescent blade out in a vertical slash towards the monster’s legs. It stepped back trying to avoid the blow, turning a crippling blow into one more glancing. A blackened cauterized gash presented in his gray mottle flesh where the blade had sunk into thick hide.

 

The fight had not been going well before Buffy resorted to drawing her lightsabers. Faith knew she had the weapons, they were not a secret, but Buffy had not wanted to flaunt they tech she had claimed was experimental from Stark Enterprises R&D department. “It’s just something they want to test in the field. They figured it would be good press if it was stuff that worked well.” She had said to her sister slayer. That seemed to satisfy Faith.

 

Buffy thought for a brief moment as she activated her second blade about how long they really expected that cover story to last. She flipped over another raking strike from the demon in front of her taking her mind back to the fight ‘I’ll cross that bridge when I get to it, I guess’ She thought to herself.

 

With a deep breath to center herself Buffy let the telekinetic field her N.E.C.K. unit created around her focus itself down towards her feet. She pushed off the ground as the beast charged her, his long glistening horns leading the way. She flipped over the top of it and lashed out with both of her weapons. Instantly the smell of cooked demon flesh assaulted her nose as the blades sunk into its back drawing long garish lines down its ridged spine. He screamed and fell to the dirt. By the time she was turning to assist Faith the creature had gurgled its last.

 

Faith herself was grinning manically as she fought against her foe. It would strike out and she would step and weave around its large fists. Now and again she would lash out kicking the same arms wide to open its defenses, allowing her to land punishing blow after blow. Already Buffy could tell that Faith was merely playing with the dangerous demon and enjoying the work out it was giving her. As she watched she kept her blades ready to intervene the moment the Slayer looked to be in trouble. That trouble never came as Faith finally lashed out slamming first a kick to the demon's knee, dislocating it with a loud sickening pop. She then stepped into the crumbling demon's guard slapping it's arms wide before she brought a foot up again with a snap kick to its throat. As it collapsed to the ground, Buffy nearly retched at the gurgling sound of blood flowing into the demons lungs. Thankfully it did not last long as Faith casually stepped over the demons body and took its head in her hands, snapping its neck with a quick twist.

 

It had been the first time that Buffy had seen an actual Slayer fight. To say it had been enlightening would have been an understatement. She found a new respect for the line of warriors she had found herself pretending to be a member of. Faith was stronger, she knew that now without a doubt. Her fighting instincts were excellent and she fought with an experience that belied the short time since she must have been called.

 

“Damn B, that was a blast,” The Slayer called out as she approached Buffy. “I still won, though, since you cheated.”

 

Buffy snapped out of her contemplations and scrunched up her nose as she looked between the two dead bodies. “You won? How? I killed mine first. You were still playing tag with yours.”

 

Faith motioned to the cylinders still in her hands as she snapped them off and began to return them to their holsters. “You used those things. I mean that is serious cheating. I had to kill mine with just my hands. You used the glow sticks of doom.”

 

Buffy shrugged off the minor bit of irritation she felt as she met the Slayer half way between the two demon corpses. “They are not glow sticks of doom and using them is not cheating. It's not my fault you didn't bring anything but a stake. Giles offered to let you take a sword or an axe with you.”

 

“Yeah, I can just see that going well with the local fuzz,” Faith replied as they started their patrol route again. “Besides, it's not like we expected to find Kath'kin demons out here tonight.”

 

Buffy raised an eyebrow at the comment. “Kath'kin? You knew what those things were?”

 

Faith nodded as they moved farther from the two demon corpses. “Yeah, only way to kill them is decapitation or snapping their neck. Otherwise, they just get...”

 

Faith found herself talking to air as Buffy was slammed from behind and sent flying. It took her a moment to realize what had happened as the blonde bounced off a tombstone before rolling back to her feet. In front of her the Kath'kin she had fought was standing again whole and alive.

 

Buffy snapped both lightsabers back out of their holsters and activated them, barely managing to dodge out of the way as the demon bore down on her again. “Damn it, why didn't you tell me you had to behead them?” She shouted at Faith as she deflected the demons blows that started to rain down on her faster than before.

 

Faith quickly joined the fight kicking the demon in the back of its knees trying to force it down to a suitable decapitation height. “I thought you knew. It was in the handbook.”

 

Buffy looked confused for a moment, the distraction causing her to miss ducking under another blow that sent her flying into a nearby lamp post. Groaning she picked herself up off the ground and spun her lightsabers. “What the hell? Giles never told me there was a handbook.”

 

With the two of them working together, the fight lasted less than a minute. Faith kept darting in and out of the demons reach trying to disable the creatures legs to bring its immense height down to a workable size. Buffy took her turns flipping over the creatures head repeatedly then striking out at its shoulders and arms, trying to limit the use of its powerful spiny fists. In the end, Faith snapped both its kneecaps crippling the powerful beast, before Buffy removed its head with both blades.

 

“Okay, I definitely won after that,” Faith said as she panted from their second fight.

 

Frowning Buffy shook her head in exasperation. “Faith, this isn't a game. People, specifically Faith and Buffy shaped people, could die out here.”

 

Faith only shrugged as the moved out of the cemetery, “Yeah, people die all the time. Don't mean we can't enjoy it while it's going on.” She skipped out several steps ahead of Buffy and turned around to walk backwards facing the blonde. “Come on, you can't tell me you don't enjoy it. I saw you last night. You and Red were both having a thrill a minute when you jumped into that fight. You sat there blocking those demons shots for like five minutes straight when you could have taken them down anytime you wanted. You were playing with them.”

 

Buffy's nose scrunched up as she tried to think of a way to disagree with the jubilant Slayer. Nothing came to mind so she finally sighed in defeat as her shoulders slouched down. “Yeah, alright that was kinda fun. It doesn't mean this is just a game, though. I had that under control. Tonight we obviously didn't.”

 

Faith gave her a look before spinning around and falling back into step with her companion, giving a sidelong glance. “Don't know what you mean. I had things perfectly under control,” she said with a smirk.

 

All Buffy could do was sigh as they walked deeper into the night.

 

~~~

 

“Why are you being so forthcoming with this knowledge?” Giles asked as he studied Annalyse's features. It still surprised him how alike she and Buffy appeared on the surface. It left a strange unease in him knowing they were keeping certain information from her.

 

“That's actually quite simple,” Annalyse said as she moved around the living room. “There are very few things that can harm me. Kryptonite, a meteoric rock formed from the remnants of my species home planet is one of them and I doubt it is available to you in this universe. The other is magic. And while I have been trained in Torquasm Vo, I am not a master. If something or someone were to manipulate my mind you can imagine the destruction I could cause.”

 

Willow tilted her head slightly as she took in the Kryptonian as if seeing her for the first time. “So you are telling us how to stop you just in case? Why us?”

 

Giles nodded as he took off his glasses and polished them. “Quite. What reason do you have to trust us with your weakness? Do you not fear we would use it to threaten or control you?”

 

Annalyse laughed as she shook her head. “I doubt you could, even if you wished to. Besides that, should I fear you trying to control me? I saw the blonde Slayer, Buffy when I first came to this universe. I wasn't very polite since I was on a timetable at first; dimensional apertures to close and all that. Still, if you could have seen what she was prepared to do, you wouldn't ask that question.”

 

Annalyse sat down finally and stared at her hands. Her gaze drew both Giles's and Willow's to the violet ring that adorned the index finger of her left hand. Without lifting her eyes she softly spoke to her audience. “I made an oath when I took up this ring to defend love in all its forms. It is the most sacred emotion in the emotional spectrum to a Star Sapphire. It's almost impossible for us to do anything that acts against it. That night when I came through I was a witness to both the most beautiful and the most horrific thing I had ever seen.”

 

Finally she looked up to the other two and caught their eyes with hers before continuing. “Buffy truly loves that man she was with, as he loves her. At the same time, she was in such intense pain because of that love and was prepared to kill the source of it to save everything else. She was prepared to sacrifice her own heart to save the world.”

 

Sighing she leaned back in the chair she had claimed and ran her fingers over her ring once more while still holding they eyes of the other two in the room. “Did you know that to become a Star Sapphire you have to experience great loss in your heart? Buffy has experienced that. The ring can sense it. Even now with him still alive because I closed the portal that loss is there.”

 

Giles frowned as he listened to her speak and Annalyse knew he was not enjoying her little monologue. ‘He will dislike the rest of what I have to say, even more,’ She realized as she spoke. ‘But they need to understand what she is going through, even if she is hiding it rather well.’

 

“Whatever happened with that man before I arrived, it ripped out a piece of her heart and the ring is called to her by that. It is only because I am a stranger here that I have not allowed it to duplicate itself and make its offer to her. If the person my ring finds worthy to join the Star Sapphires trusts you, then I will trust you,” She finally finished.

 

Rising from her seat she stretched out then looked directly at Giles with as serious an expression as she was capable off. “Please do not prove you are not worthy of her trust.”

 


	11. Movement

Chapter 10: Movement

Giles looked up as his doorbell rang. Setting down the book he had been reading he made to stand up when Buffy came flying down the hall at top speed calling, “I've Got it.” The watcher grimaced as she nearly careened into the front door in her haste. Shaking his head he sat back down with a small smile. The time since Buffy had started living with him had been different from his previous life experiences. To say that training as a Watcher did nothing to prepare him for the rigors of acting as a surrogate father for an American teen was an understatement.

 

Turning his attention back he could hear the voices of his young charges friends as they came inside. Cordelia was bemoaning being drug out to yet another meeting as usual. Willow was excitedly babbling about pushing the time limit on the charge she was able to hold to boost her physical capabilities. Xander was trying to calm his girlfriend and reassure her that everyone appreciated her presence while trying to hold a conversation with Oz about some new song his band had rehearsed the other night.

 

'Perhaps I've been more prepared for this situation than I thought,' Giles mused as the teens came in and started setting out boxes of pizza's that the two boys were carrying.

 

“So whats up with the early meeting, Buffster?” Xander finally asked as the teens managed to find seats and grab slices of pizza.

 

Giles himself had only managed to snag the last slice of a meat lovers pizza that seemed to be claimed by their resident werewolf and faux Slayer. As he took a bite he could admit a bit of curiosity himself. Buffy had been adamant about not sharing with him why she wanted the group to gather privately before Faith and Annalyse had arrived for the groups usual pre-patrol meeting. While he knew that she and Willow had decided to hide their status as mutants from the newcomers he couldn't think of anything new that needed to be discussed privately amongst the core group.

 

“Well, I think I've kinda realized a problem with keeping the fact that me and Willow, more me than anyone, are mutants secret,” Buffy said matter of factly. “We used to do training in the library when I was still keeping things secret from you guys. Then we switched to the CRD building once you were all about the know-age of me and my mutation.”

 

"Not to mention you being expelled," Cordelia helpfully reminded them.

 

Willow shot Cordelia a withering glance while the rest looked on with looks between confusion and slight embarrassment. It had taken him some time to understand 'Buffy-speak' but he knew he had understood what she meant quite clearly. As he looked at the children around him he realized they had focused too much on Cordelia's usual habit of stating the raw fact. They just had not made the logic leap from what he could tell, except for one of them.

 

When no one seemed willing to ask out loud what Buffy was getting at Oz finally spoke up saving Giles from having to. He nodded and with two words explained the situation to everyone who was confused, “Your labs.”

 

“Exactly,” Buffy said as understanding flourished on the assembled faces. “So the question becomes what do we do about it? We need a place to train. If we don't want them to ask questions it can't be where my weapons lab is. If we don't invite them to train with us it will only look suspicious.”

 

Giles took another bite of pizza to conceal a small smile. Giving answers was easy, but letting them come to the conclusions was so much more enjoyable. He hadn't even considered this past being told they had decided to keep their mutations a secret for the time being. He had expected as much considering what he had read in Merrick's true Watcher Journals. The rest was simply an expansion of that plan.

 

'Buffy can't squat indefinitely in the old CRD building anyway,' he thought as the group started tossing ideas around among themselves. The conversation was quickly starting to heat up as Willow and Cordelia had somehow ended up squaring off arguing real estate with one another. Shaking his head Giles finally decided it was time to step in as the adult before Cordelia found herself discovering what Willow's practice dummies felt like.

 

Clearing his throat quickly got the teens attention before he nodded, removing his glasses to polish them as he spoke, “Yes well, Buffy, that is a valid point. I am pleased to see you thinking about the repercussions of keeping your secret from our new allies.” Buffy started to open her mouth to interrupt him and he quickly held his hand up to hold her off. “I am not saying I disagree, only that I am pleased to see you thinking ahead, even if it is only just. Thankfully I had already anticipated your desire for secrecy before you had told me of your decision and thought it out through to the end.”

 

Standing, Giles walked briskly over to his messenger bag he used on a daily basis and drew out a folder and handed it to Buffy. Smiling as he sat back down he motioned for her to open it as he continued speaking, “Since we had to put my name on your account as a secondary holder until your emancipation is finalized to prevent your mother from making a claim on your account, I took the liberty of using some of the funds already deposited from your arrangement with Mr. Stark. There was an older building that was used as a martial arts dojo during the 80's that was for sale at a relatively inexpensive price. I've already outfitted it with standard martial arts training aids and have been looking at more specialized equipment as well.”

 

Buffy looked through the folder then passed it to Willow in near shock. Time started to stretch out without the young woman voicing her approval or disapproval concerning his proactive manner in dealing with the situation. He was about to speak up when Willow did before him.

 

“This says that there are two underground levels to this place. A normal basement and an extensive bomb shelter that was built in the 60's during the nuclear weapons scare. Buffy this place is perfect. We could turn the bomb shelter into your new labs easily and keep most of the training on the first and second floors. Then we can set up the basement for our more unusual training like mine and Annalyse's powers,” the redhead said at near babble speeds as she looked over the papers.

 

Xander leaned over and looked at the papers as Willow went through them then grinned broadly, “Hey so this means we have our own Area 51? Sweet!”

 

The girls all gave him odd looks which left him squirming or a moment. Oz rose up in his defense, “Well, we do know an alien now,” he told them, quieting the glares the girls were giving Xander.

 

Oz looked back down over Willow's shoulder and nodded in appreciation of the plans Giles had made even as a slight shudder passed through him. The inclusion of what looked like two heavy duty cells in the plans for the upper basement was both comforting and chilling.

 

Giles turned to Buffy and startled at what he saw. The wetness that had suddenly formed in her eyes started to concern him. 'Perhaps I did overstep boundaries of trust,' he began to think when the small blonde threw herself at him, wrapping her arms around him snugly. He leaned back in shock before slowly putting his own arms around her.

 

“Thank you,” she said quietly in his ear. “Thank you for watching out for me. Thank you for helping me. Thank you for not abandoning me. Thank you, Giles.”

 

Giles gently patted her on her back and nodded against her shoulder as he smiled, “It's my pleasure, Buffy.”

 

Shortly Buffy got herself back to rights and took her seat again. The group started discussing plans to finish the refurbishing of the old dojo that Giles had started. They were just starting to discuss what security measures should be taken for both the basement and the bomb shelter separate from the rest of the building when Cordelia seemed to suddenly take an interest in what was going on around her.

 

“Wait a second. What deal with Tony Stark? And how did you afford that? When did you become rich?” she blurted out as her cheeks flushed red.

 

Buffy opened her mouth to answer when the doorbell rang causing her to grin. “Sorry we'll have to talk about my finances later,” she said as she popped up from her seat and went to the door.

 

***

 

Annalyse frowned as she quickly walked down the cracked sidewalk on the west side of Sunnydale. All around her buildings whose outer shells were as visibly scarred as the town’s supernatural underbelly stood in stark relief against the bright sunshine that seemed to almost falter against them. Windows were broken, covered in bars, or held signs declaring the accompanying building was for rent. Several that looked to have once been stores had signs flipped to closed that looked like they had not seen the open side in over a decade.

 

'I'd never wander around this area at night, so what is a Slayer doing living here?' she wondered silently as she watched the few humans who dared to traverse the run down part of town. Even during the day they looked lost and helpless among the once faded glory of the buildings, their eyes downcast and never straying upwards for more than a brief moment. The entire area held an almost tangible scent of despair that weighed down on her chest as she neared the motel Faith had said she was staying at.

 

'Going to have to get her out of here. The mood alone here is almost enough to send even me into a downward spiral.'

 

Before she could consider the situation further her sensitive ears picked up the sound of glass shattering as a figure came flying out of one of the windows of a hotel room. The dark haired figure rolled with the momentum and quickly gained purchase to rise back up right.

 

“Faith,” Annalyse whispered in shock. The Slayer was covered in cuts, blood dripping from the wound covering her body. Shaking off the depression that had been pushing down on her, she quickened her steps willing power into her ring as her uniform quickly replaced her street clothes. “Faith,” she yelled hoping to get her attention.

 

Faith glanced back at Annalyse and smirked before marching back into her room. The half-Kryptonian quickly switched to her x-ray vision and watched in horror as Faith started to systematically dismantle two apparently human opponents. Annalyse started to step in to stop Faith until she spotted a third human step out of a car lifting a shot gun up with him.

 

With a snarl Annalyse lashed out with her power ring, enveloping the third mans shotgun in violet energy before yanking it from his hands. The man turned towards her, surprise painted on his face as she compressed the field of energy and crushed the firearm flat. “Shooting a girl in the back is a no no, Mister. Now, why don't you go play somewhere else before I decide to demonstrate what happens to a human under ten thousand foot pounds of pressure,” came from her mouth in a low cold tone.

 

The man nodded still in shock and quickly took off running the other way. Annalyse was just about to turn back to Faith's fight when it happened. The gunshot was so loud that Annalyse thought she had gone deaf for a moment. Time slowed down as her Kryptonian reflexes kicked in and she bolted towards Faith who was already falling down from the first bullet. The second shot echoed out across the parking lot as the gunman aimed directly at the falling girls head.

 

The round never made contact with the brunette. The compact 9mm pistol seemed to explode as Annalyse slid into position, her hand clamping down on the barrel of the gun as it fired. The resulting mayhem left the shooter screaming as flying shrapnel shredded his skin leaving his face looking like an add for a Kruger flick.

 

Not slowing, Annalyse reached out grabbing him by his throat and turned, lifting him from the floor and into the air and throwing him into his partner. The force of the throw alone had stolen the breath from the gunman and the impact knocked both men out cold. She dropped to her knees to find Faith already trying to stand, one hand clamped over her shoulder.

 

“Damn, girl, talk about timing,” Faith managed to grind out despite her voice shaking. “I coulda handled it though.”

 

Annalyse felt her eyes widen as Faith smiled at her and looked over at the two unconscious men. “Handle it? Faith you aren't bullet proof. What the hell are they even doing here shooting at you? You deal with vamps, not idiotic gang bangers.”

 

Faith shrugged and pushed herself to her feet before staggering a step or two to lean against the wall. “How the hell should I know why they're here,” she said unconvincingly. After a few beats of Annalyse staring at her she rolled her eyes and admitted, “Okay so maybe I won some money from them in a card game and they maybe thought I had cheated them. No big. Like I said, I woulda handled it. Not that I don't appreciate you coming in all Flight of the Valkyries on them.”

 

The blonde closed her eyes and started counting to ten. She repeated this in German, French, Japanese, Kryptonian, and finally Manchurian before opening her eyes to glare at the dark haired girl. She looked around the room and reached out with her power ring, beginning to gather up the few clothes she saw in the room and stuffing them into the visible backpack.

 

“Hey, whaddaya think you’re doing?” Faith protested as she watched her clothing being quickly packed away.

 

“Getting you the hell out of here. You can't stay here, Faith. I got worried when you told me where you were staying and had been considering offering you my spare room. That was only when I had considered vampires trying to snack on you. Now I find out you have idiots with guns trying to get you too. Yeah, no way you are staying here any longer. You are moving in with me. Full stop, end of story,” Annalyse told her as the last of the clothes found themselves packed away.

 

“What the hell, don't I get a say in all this?” Faith exclaimed.

 

Annalyse turned to the brunette and smiled cheerily, “Of course you get a choice. Mexican, Chinese, or Italian.”

 

Faith blinked as the sudden anger faded into confusion, a simple, “Huh?” escaping her lips.

 

“What we have for dinner,” Annalyse explained. “Now is this everything or do you have stuff in the bathroom? And hurry up and get changed, we're late to the meeting as it is.”

 

***

 

 

Cordelia was fish mouthing quite admirably in Giles' opinion when Buffy came back with their group’s two new comers. Xander reached over and kissed her to wipe the shocked look off of his girlfriend's face before it could be noticed. Giles gave him a discreet nod of approval as he turned to Annalyse and Faith.

 

“Please, make yourselves at home. The others were kind enough to bring pizza for dinner. Help yourselves to it, there is also soda in the kitchen,” Giles offered to the other two.

 

Annalyse smirked and glanced over at Faith, “Well, I guess Italian tonight,” came out in a teasing voice.

 

Faith simply shrugged as she grabbed a slice and found a seat, “Yo, whatever. I want Mexican tomorrow night, though. You going to make me a kept woman you are going to damn well feed me right.”

 

A blush shot up Annalyse's face as the sound of several people choking or gasping filled the room. She quickly waved a hand trying to stop the inevitable tirade that she knew would follow a comment like that and quickly tried to explain, “No, nothing like that,” she insisted, “I just didn't feel right leaving Faith in that Motor Lodge place, so I offered her my spare room.”

 

Faith snorted and raised an eyebrow, “Offered? You packed my shit up so fast I was wondering if some cop was gonna show up and ticket you for reckless endangerment. But hey whatever. Your place can’t be any worse than that roach motel.”

 

Giles looked on in askance as he started to polish his glasses, “The Sunnydale Motor Lodge? Faith, you should have said something. That place is not fit for normal human habitation let alone a Slayer. You would have had no protection against vampires at all who wished to enter.”

 

Annalyse rolled her eyes then looked to Giles, “When I found out where she was staying that was my first concern as well. Turns out it shouldn't have been.”

 

Giles raised an eyebrow as the rest of the group looked on in confusion. Then he started to look closer at the Slayer and soon his other eyebrow rose to join its twin in its up raised position, “Faith, you're hurt. What in God’s name happened to you during the day?”

 

As Giles rose Buffy quickly slid past him without a word into the kitchen to fetch the heavy duty first aid kit. Annalyse smirked slightly as she gave Faith a glance from the corner of her eye. “Well, if you must know, some actual human gang members took offense to Faith's presence. They decided she did a good impression of a target silhouette,” she told Giles as he started trying to pull Faiths top off.

 

Smacking the Watcher, Faith leaned back from him with a glare, “Hey, watch it G-man. I'm not bleeding to death here and it was only a graze. Let me at least eat before you go trying to poke my insides into my outsides. Sheesh.”

 

Giles stood back up giving Faith a thorough visual inspection before sighing, “Yes, well, I suppose if you have remained conscious this long then I can allow you to finish your food before looking after your injuries.” He moved back to his seat, taking the first aid kit Buffy had returned with and sat it down next to him. With a look of concern to Faith he grimaced as he spoke, “Of course you know this means you are not patrolling tonight.”

 

Faith nearly shot out of her seat in a sudden fury, “What the hell you mean I'm not patrolling? I'm a Slayer. I Slay things. I don't sit around in some tweed man's house drinking tea and eating crumpets.”

 

Annalyse reached up and put a hand gently on Faiths shoulder, guiding her back down into her seat. Giles gave her a nod in thanks as he pursed his lips in thought before speaking again. “You have been injured Faith, and even though rapid, healing for a slayer is not instantaneous. However, I did not mean for you to be totally inactive tonight nor to stay here and be subjected to my beverage and snack choices if you did not wish to be. I was actually thinking this is an excellent chance for Buffy and yourself to take an evening off.”

 

This time, it was Buffy who replied with an indignant shout, staring at Giles as if he had grown a second head, “What do you mean take a break? I don't need a break. No breaking of the Buffy!”

 

Giles closed his eyes and took a deep breath before opening them. He found himself looking across at Annalyse only to see her smirking in amusement. “Yes, you find this hilarious now. However, it is you and Willow who will be taking up the patrol tonight. I think Buffy and Faith both deserve one night of light duty. Faith is injured and Buffy has not had a night off in far too long. So they will both go to the Bronze. It is one of the favorite feeding grounds of young vampires, so you should find enough to keep you busy without any real threat to life and limb.”

 

Buffy almost jumped into his arms as she hugged him in response to his decree. He blinked several times as he realized that she was mobbing him for the second time that night. Thankfully she quickly regained her sense of teenage embarrassment this time and sat back down, grabbing another slice of pizza.

 

“Meh, a night at the club scoping out rejects from Footloose,” Faith said between bites. “I guess that's not a half bad night off. Not like there are a lot of places in town you can go without being able to hit a rock with a vamp if you threw one.”

 

Cordelia rolled her eyes as she leaned against Xander and muttered, “Great, a night out with the freak show.”

 

Faith shot her a smile that sent shivers down Queen C's spine.

 

***

 

Annalyse hovered invisibly over the decrepit warehouse debating on what they should do. It had to be on her first night on patrol in Sunnydale that this happened. To add to the stress, her first night out was with Willow. Annalyse could easily tell that of the four of them she was the least sure of her abilities. Why, she wasn't entirely sure, but there it was. When Willow and Buffy had joined in the fight that first night she had showed little hesitation. It was as if once the battle was joined and someone was in danger all concerns had flown from her mind and Willow had simply reacted. That had concerned Annalyse as well. As good as her instincts seemed to be and as experienced as she was with vampires Willow, was still under trained.

 

The truth was though, she could tell how exhausted Buffy was. Battle Fatigue. She had seen it before in her fellow heroes during the seemingly endless war with Brainiac prior to her relocation here. The dynamic warrior woman was hanging by a thread. Even with Willow under trained, Buffy needed a night – if not more – away from the active seek and destroy life style she had been living.

 

This wasn't the time for those concerns, though. Willow and she had followed a group of vampires through the dark of the Sunnydale night. It hadn't been the first such group that they had encountered, but it was the largest at eight strong. There was never a question of if they could take them down in either of the girls’ minds. Just a matter of if they should proceed.

 

Willow had already mentioned there were a lot more, and a lot larger, groups of vampires out that night but none of them seemed to be hunting. For Willow that meant only bad things were going down. Likely of the apocalyptic variety. Annalyse, knowing when to bow to greater experience, had agreed with Willow and had chosen to follow them.

 

The trek across the city had been hair-raising for Annalyse. Not due to any danger she was in. The power ring she wore easily hid her from sight and her flight nearly fifty feet above the vampires was silent. Willow however was forced to shadow the vampires on foot. The initial leg of their journey had been the worst, leading them through several cemeteries before finally heading out to the warehouse district.

 

More than once she thought Willow was going to be spotted when the vampires had suddenly stopped but were visually obscured from Willow's position. Each time, for no apparent reason Willow had suddenly frozen. Annalyse could see the expression on Willow's face and knew that even the redhead was unsure why she was stopping when she did. Hovering safely above it all Annalyse was only thankful whatever early warning system the other girl had was working.

 

When they were surrounded by buildings Willow had made to ascend one as quietly as she could. Annalyse had nodded in silent agreement. She had learned from her training from both Batman and Superman that land-bound targets rarely looked up. It just was not something mankind or most biped species ever had needed to do to avoid predators. That instinct, or lack there of, seemed to have followed vampires into undeath.

 

Now Willow was crouched silently on top of what Annalyse thought was an old factory building. The roof was dotted with skylights that looked down on the crowded floor beneath it. More than 50 vampires were milling about seemingly at a loss as to why exactly they were there.

 

She had watched no less than twenty vampires enter over the last half an hour. She knew that Buffy would likely be upset that they had not destroyed the blood suckers when she had the chance but she had long ago learned a little recon could go a long ways towards ending a threat before it truly began. So she had taken Willows opinion of the situation, gambled on a chance, and followed them hoping that whatever she learned would be valuable enough to excuse the risk to her team.

 

'My team,' Annalyse considered as she watched on. 'Didn't think I'd have one of those again after stepping through the portal. Even if right this moment it is just one other person.'

 

Blowing out a breath she flew lower looking for an unguarded entrance. It was time to get on with the show. She had taken her risk and it looked to be paying off so far. That just meant she had to get with the program and actually get usable intel. Walking away with nothing more than 'a bunch of vamps were getting together' wouldn't go a long ways towards appeasing the anger of anyone for taking such a risk.

 

A stop to check with Willow, where the redhead had nearly screamed in surprise as Annalyse regained visibility, proved that though the skylight gave an excellent view to count numbers, it didn't allow them to hear anything. She made a quick circuit around the building she spotted a hole in the outer wall near the roof of the building. Inspecting it revealed the hole used to be the site of an exhaust fan that had long since fallen from its mounting brackets. It would be a tight fit, but it would serve as an entry point for the Star Sapphire. Slipping in was simple enough. Secure in her invisibility, she hovered near the roof, settling down on one of the sturdier trash cluttered walkways that criss-crossed the upper part of the building. Beneath her she could only get glimpses of the throng that was gathering but knew their numbers were staggering. Biting her lip, Annalyse knew that so many of the undead gathering in one place was not a good thing. The only questions were what did they intend to do, and how could they put a stop to it?

 

Lamenting the lack of availability of the high-tech communication devices she had used with the League, Annalyse settled her nerves and waited. It was nearly another half an hour before the apparent guest of honor had arrived. During that time vampires had continued to arrive and she estimated over 60 of the blood suckers where gathered below. She knew Willow would have a more accurate count than she did from the roof so she didn't concern herself overly much with keeping track.

 

The cause of the gathering, a figure dressed in red and black robes that concealed his face, walked amongst the throng like a lion among gazelle. He garnered their attention by raising one cloven hand into the air. Silence descended on the crowd.

 

“You have come to answer my call,” the figure’s deep voice boomed out. “A call to rid ourselves of the accursed Slayer who would defy our rightful place at the top of the food chain. To take back the fear we hold over mortal men. By answering my call you have proven yourselves prideful. Now you will have to prove yourselves worthy of that pride.”

 

“Oh yeah? And who are you that we have ta' prove anything ta' you? We can take down a Slayer on our own, we don't need some old world reject to tell us how to do it,” one Vampire in the audience dressed in something Annalyse thought belonged in either a disco club or a bonfire called out.

 

Silence settled over the crowd for a few beats. The assembly started to get restless and she hoped that more would speak up and disperse the dangerous group into the night. She knew that such hopes were folly and was already expecting something to occur in response to the challenge that had been thrown out.

 

The robed figure moved much faster than his massive size would have indicated. He blurred through the crowd, one cloven hand rising as he approached the dissenter. He drove that cloven hand into the vampires chest and looked down from beneath his hood at the much younger vamp, disdain dripping from his voice as he spoke, “I am Kakistos. You are nothing without me. Less than the cockroaches the Slayer views you as. You think you stand a chance against the Slayer and her allies without me? Stupid fledglings that mewl and whine, hiding in the shadows for fear of her stake.”

 

Annalyse saw his arm tense and flex then pull back dragging the other vampires spine out through the hole. The painful wailing that ensued hurt her ears to listen to as the vampire dropped to the ground still alive. The robed figures hood had fallen away when he ripped the bone and cartilage out through the chest of the lesser vampire. Annalyse had to bite down hard on her lip to keep from retching.

 

His face was a mass of scar tissue with one predominate scar tracing across his right eye. Short stubbed horns rose from his forehead looking like twin spikes of bone. His hairless cranium was covered in intricate tattoos both black and a deep red. Watching him, Annalyse wondered if he could even take off what the others referred to as his Game-Face or if it was a conscious choice.

 

“Take this mewling retch outside. Stake him out in the street to await the coming of dawn. Perhaps if he has will enough to free himself and find shelter before then I will let him live,” the ancient vampire told the assembled masses in a calm voice that brooke no arguments. Two of the vampires moved quickly to obey as he turned back and studied the others.

 

“You want to live free of the Slayer? You want to control the power of the Hellmouth in this city? Then stand up and take what is ours by right. We are vampires. Men once feared us and worshiped us as the gods we are. If you want to be more than vermin feeding off the scraps of humanity you will follow and obey. You will prove your worth through deeds. Know that I will not send you out to die your final death in vain but only those proven worthy will receive my gift. Go now, prepare for the hunt. Tomorrow night we will show the Slayer who rules the night.”

 

Annalyse swallowed as the vampires began to move out. She knew more now than she did before. She had a name and a time frame for the mayhem to start. Willow had hopefully gotten a good count of the numbers since her vantage point hadn't been as good. It wasn't much and she knew they likely would be rushed to put into action any sort of plan but it was more than flying blind into the chaos ahead. The ancient vampire's promise of power, because what other gift would he give those he deemed worthy, worried her slightly. She knew that unlike the vampires of her own home those here rarely had special gifts. It was not unheard of though and not knowing what their opponent might hold in reserve could make for trouble.

 

'Hopefully, Giles will have something in his diaries. Time to grab Willow and get the Hell out of here,' she thought as she silently flew over to the same hole she had come in through and exited the building without turning back.

 

If she had she might have noticed Kakistos silently watching the hole that once housed a ventilation fan.

 

 


	12. Night on the Town

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay once more as with the last several chapters, thank you Chadmaako for being my beta reader. Also thank you to both MeJA and Chad for helping me bounce ideas around about this story. They've assisted me in making plans for the future as well as ironing out details that are both in the preceding chapters and will appear in future chapters. This story would not be what it is without their help.
> 
> On that note, I don't remember if I made mention of it in an earlier authors note but just for mid-story reference here are the changes to the timeline.
> 
> Season 1 of BtVS took place during Buffy's Freshman Year. Season 2 during the Sophmore year.
> 
> Also, since this is a merged BtVS/Marvel-verse expect technology for the time period to be slightly skewed. A lot of tech shown in comics was and is a few years ahead of reality and I'm continuing that feel. So while the supernatural is very Buffy, expect the tech to be very Marvel.
> 
> Current Ages  
> Buffy 16 Xander 16 Cordelia 16  
> Willow 16 Oz 17 Analyse 16

Night on the Town

 

Annalyse decided she didn't much like fighting vampires. The first time she had delt with them she had unleashed her full strength and speed. She hadn't held back for fear of an unknown enemy gaining an advantage over her. The second time the demons had cast some form of magic. It had slowed her and weakened her and she had believed that their mystical attack had been the reason the vampires that had surrounded her had been able to injure her before Buffy's solar grenade had weakened her enemy and strengthened her. Now she wasn't so sure that had been entirely the case.

 

She had frowned when the first vampire had punched her. She hadn't even moved believing her usual level of invulnerability would protect her. The blow had actually caused her to stagger back a step and blink. It hadn't been intense, she had been hit by harder training with other members of the league, but it had actually hurt. Realizing they could possibly manage to injure her if she wasn't careful, Annalyse moved into a more defensive posture as she began working through the group surrounding her.

 

“Damn it,” she cursed under her breath as she pulled herself out of yet another car. “You are not supposed to know how to fight,” she complained loudly. She had managed to take several of the bloodsuckers down but the ones left kept proving they weren't simple fledglings relying on instinct. They were trained and trained well.

 

The five vampires that were still alive snickered as they closed the distance between themselves and their prey. “And you should be dead,” one of them casually answered. “Alas, neither of us seem to be getting what we want today.”

 

Annalyse glowered at the vampires. She had been restraining herself, not visibly using her power ring or her natural powers beyond her strength and speed that she had already shown. Something that Batman had once said during training had been ringing in her head. 'Never assume the enemy in front of you is the true threat.' It hadn't made a great deal of sense at the time but that was over six months ago; a seemingly eternal length of time to her. Now though she could almost feel it on the edge of her senses. Someone, something was watching her.

 

'Now's not the time to let loose,' she had to remind herself as she eyed her opponents. 'Whoever is out there knows more about us, or at least me, than I'd like already.'

 

Sighing the half-Kryptonian shook her head, “Well, at the very least can you make sure to get him,” she pointed to one of the vampires that looked like he had crawled out of the Rocky Horror Picture Show, “a fashion sense? I mean, if I'm going to die here I'd hate for someone else to have to stake him looking like that.”

 

The vampire in question snarled in response and leaped forward at Annalyse. She grinned seeing this and side stepped, thrusting her hand into his chest and out his back. “Oh, never mind. He seems to have had a,” she pulled back ripping the vampires heart out of his body, “change of heart.”

 

As the vampire fell to dust she turned with a smile to face the last four once more. Now they were looking a little more nervous than they had previously. 'Used more of my strength than I wanted, but oh well. Not like they don't know I'm super strong.'

 

With growls and glowing yellow eyes, the vampires moved forward and once more the fight was on. Annalyse blocked the first kick that came, aimed at her head she pushed it to the side causing the blow to hit the car behind her. She wrapped her arms around the offending limb and twisted swinging the vampire around and into one of its companions. Letting go, the two tumbled into a heap on the ground leaving Annalyse to block the next punch that came at her stomach only to realize it was a feint too late.

 

The last vamp had moved behind her and wrapped its arms around her head trying to cut off her sight. Its body was larger than hers but with the vampire in front of her still trying to hit he both arms were tied up defending herself. She knew a dozen different things she could do to rid herself of her unwanted rider or the attacker in front of her but that niggling feeling of being watched kept her from acting.

 

“You are strong, nina,” the vampire behind her hissed into her ear. “Let us discover how strong your blood is compared to a Slayer.”

 

The lights of Sunnydale went dark as Annalyse screamed, feeling the fangs pierce her skin. The vampire slid them in with little resistance and clamped his lips against her flesh. Her blood began to pump out through the severed artery and flow into the vampires mouth. He moaned against Annalyse as she continued to scream in pain.

 

The vampire who had been lost in the ecstasy of her blood began to scream. He tore himself from her and pushed Annalyse away. The other three vampires froze in the now pitch black night as the other vampire pushed out a sound of pure madness. Their eyes momentarily blinded by the sudden absence of light left them with only their ears to witness the spiraling depths one of their numbers had fallen into.

 

Annalyse recovered her wits first, Kryptonian vision shifting subtly to adjust for the lack of light. Her elbow struck the nearest vampire in the face, crushing its nose and driving him to the ground. She grabbed at one of the two she had caused to spill onto the floor by the back of his neck pulling him up to his feet. A step and then another and she turned, driving his head into the car she had been slammed into earlier. She scooped up a stake that had fallen from her grasp at some point and slammed it into the heart of the third vampire before he could pull himself from the pavement then turned to the other two. One, two, and the only vampire not dust was a thing of desperation and insanity.

 

She took a moment to watch the panic filled vampire. It's face looked more like melted wax from his mouth down. Rivulets of bone and skin ran down his neck and chest. Annalyse had to pause for a moment to keep her dinner down. Then she realized that it had been her blood that had caused the mass of twisted melted flesh that was all that remained of the vampires jaw. She had to work twice as hard to not throw-up after that.

 

She brought her stake home against his chest without flinching away from the ruined demon. Its eyes lost their golden hue for a moment before it fell to dust. Annalyse almost thought she had seen relief within their depths.

 

As the last vampire fell to dust around her, Annalyse reached up and rubbed the bite on her neck. Already it was healing, the blood clotting, the flesh closing until not even a scar would remain. The image of the twisted creature that was left after the vampire had bitten her hovered at the edge of her mind. She pushed it back, forcing herself to be thankful for the surprise defense she had against the bloodsuckers.

 

Annalyse took a moment to look around the surrounding area. At some point during those last few moments of the fight, the presence that had been watching had retreated. Idly, Annalyse wondered if it had seen her be bitten before it left.

 

Shrugging, Annalyse flew into the now dark town. She only hoped the darkness was not a harbinger of something more sinister that night.

 

(***)

 

 

Buffy sat alone at their table in the Bronze. She watched Faith move among the other dancing bodies as if she would lose herself to the pounding beat that flooded the air from the stacks of speakers that serviced the club's sound system. Buffy could remember when once she would have moved the same way with complete abandon and freedom. She finally turned away to stare at her drink as Faith ground herself against the front of one of the boys on the dance floor.

 

She knew she should be enjoying herself more. She had planned on enjoying herself even. When Giles had told them they were to take a night off active patrolling at the Bronze she had been so surprised she had nearly fallen off the couch. After two years of constant battles being able to take one night to relax was something she had not expected to be able to do. There hadn't even been any vampires in residence to interfere.

 

As the night moved on she had come to the assessment that she had somehow forgotten how to have fun. She wasn't sure when it had happened. She could remember coming here with Willow and Xander just after arriving in town. She had been fun having Buffy then, hadn't she?

 

Another sigh escaped as she took a drink of her diet coke.

 

'Damn it, what is wrong with me? I mean, yeah, I almost had to kill Angel but Annalyse pulled her ‘come with me if you want to live’ routine. He's alive, well undead... and being all avoid-o-guy but so am I. He didn't kill Ms. Calender after all, right? That was Angelus. Angel has his soul back. But he could...um...I don't want to think about that particular thing anymore. What was I thinking about? Oh yes, fish,' she rambled on in her mind.

 

Buffy sank deeper into her thoughts and didn't see Faith come up sliding into the seat across from her. Faith watched the older girl quietly for several minutes. She knew a sulk when someone was into it deep. Recognizing it though was different from fixing it.

 

“So you gonna come out there and dance with me or you gonna leave all the fun to me?” Faith finally asked, keeping her voice as cheerful as she could.

 

Buffy looked up, startled by Faith suddenly being seated across from her. She took in a deep breath and shrugged her shoulders. Faith only raised an eyebrow before grabbing Buffy's hand and pulling her out of her seat and dragging her out to the dance floor.

 

“Hey, but... the drinks, I gotta watch them because... and what are you doing... I don't wanna dance...,” Buffy protested as Faith pulled her into the throng of moving bodies.

 

“Xander and Cordelia can watch them, see?” Faith pointed out as the two made their way to the table with fresh drinks and snacks.

 

Buffy frowned, one avenue of avoidance clearly blocked. She started to look around hoping to spot a vampire or even an annoying person pestering someone. She didn't want to dance, she had to figure out what she felt about Angel.

 

Leaning forward so her mouth was next to Buffy's ear she spoke just loud enough for the shorter girl to hear her, “You want to cut loose. I know you do, B. Seen people like you before. All uptight and rigid. Not good for you. All work and no play, ya know. Sides, Watcher-man said it was our night off.”

 

“He said we were supposed to take care of any vamps here too,” Buffy protested.

 

Faith tilted her head to the side watching Buffy then shook her head, “And there's no vamps here. We've checked the place a dozen times tonight. Not a single bloodsucker inside or out. We're demon free.”

 

“And that doesn't worry you? Something is so not right with this. We should be like, neck deep in vamps. At least knee deep. Instead its like they had a convention somewhere that isn't Sunnydale and we didn't get invited.”

 

Faith sighed softly as she countered, “And Anna and Red are out there doing patrol. If somethings up, they'll find it and take care of it. It's our night off. So live a little, B.”

 

Buffy frowned as Faith leaned back and put her hands on Buffy's shoulders. The Slayer started to sway back and forth with a grin etched on her face that promised chaos and mischief, passion and madness, and Buffy found herself helpless but to grin back and start dancing. She closed her eyes and let the music pull and push at her, finding its rhythm as she moved along with Faith.

 

'Yeah, a night off,' Buffy thought as she felt the pounding bass roll through her, 'I can figure out the whole Angel thing tomorrow. And Annalyse and Willow have patrol locked down.'

 

The two danced through the few songs and as a new one started Faith carefully made her way out to the edge of the dance floor. She grinned as she watched Buffy dance. It had taken half the night to drag the shorter girl out onto the dance floor. Now she was as lost in the beat as Faith herself had been. She had no real clue what was driving Summers. Faith knew her life wasn't all sunshine and rainbows, her mom had thrown her out, her dad didn't want her, and she was suing for emancipation. Still, she had her friends and her Watcher and that was more than Faith had.

 

Then the light and sound of the club vanished leaving them in darkness. Over the muttering and whining from the patrons of the Bronze Faith heard one voice rise above them all.

 

“Oh come on, can't I get ONE. NIGHT. OFF?!”

 

Faith couldn't help but laugh.

 

 

(***)

 

Her feet pounded against the sidewalk. Buildings, homes to the people of Sunnydale, passed by her as she ran. She could hear dogs barking, announcing her passage when she turned to cut between two of residential dwellings trying to cut down on her time. With each pounding thud that her feet made only one thought passed through Willow Rosenberg's mind.

 

'So glad I don't have a test tomorrow.'

 

Willow wasn't sure how long it had been since she had gotten separated from Annalyse. She wasn't even sure why they had split up now that she had nearly a dozen vampires on her tail. They had been chasing her through the streets of Sunnydale or nearly 20 minutes now. Willow's goal had been Giles apartment. She had since revised that plan to simply staying alive.

 

The last the redheaded mutant vampire hunter had seen, Annalyse the half-Kryptonian had set her down and told her to get to Giles. The alien that she and Buffy had decided not to fully trust had turned around to face the swarm of undead that had seemingly materialized around them. Willow at first had planned to stand and fight by her side but the other teen screaming to get to Giles with their intel had changed her mind. Information had won them their battles in the past. If both of them fell without getting it to Giles and the others...

 

'Then we've failed,' Willow told herself again as she leapt over a privacy fence separating two back yards.

 

Willow knew she was leaving a trail that even the dumbest of vampires could follow. She had made progress in using her powers but right now in her near panic, she couldn't control the flow of electricity into herself as she drew it from any available source she passed. Street lights had faltered and burnt out, cars who's alarms had been set off in her passing suddenly went silent, and porch lights exploded as she drew their power from them at a rate far higher than their physical systems were meant to handle. She couldn't pause to think about it though. She needed the physical boost the electricity gave her or she'd never escape.

 

She had been close, so close to Giles house twice now. The first time she got within three blocks before she found her path cut off by a half dozen vampires. She had screamed, veering to the side and cutting through her first yard of the night. The second time she was only a block away when a van had suddenly cut her off at the intersection. She hadn't waited to see how many blood suckers would pile out of it before twisting away in another direction. Now she was five blocks away from her goal.

 

Twenty minutes of running; twenty minutes of staying hyper-charged on electricity was starting to take its toll. Willow could feel the electricity screaming along her body. It left her nearly screaming for release as tears marked their way down her face. It didn't hurt, not physically at least. It felt good in fact. It felt too good. Her entire body was alive, burning with sensation. She almost felt invincible and that scared her. She knew the energy surging through her was messing with her mind. The last time the vampires had tried to cut her off she hadn't even been afraid. Instead, she had lashed out, electrocuting the two that had tried to interpose themselves with her path and sending them to the dustbin in hell that all vampires go too in the end.

 

When the chase finally stopped, Willow was almost ecstatic. She saw the half dozen vampires in front of her, spread out in a semi-circle. She turned to cut through more yards and saw two more coming from that way. Behind her another half dozen arrived, game faces firmly in place as their yellow eyes glared at her in their hunger.

 

“Well now, it looks like the Slayers pet witch gets to be snack food after all,” one of the vampires taunted her as they began to loosely circle her.

 

Willow could feel the electricity that powered her body thrum and surge. It felt almost alive beneath her skin, a thing that wanted to be free while still holding tight to her. The young mutant closed her eyes and breathed. She could feel the electricity above her running along the power lines. It was stronger than she had previously drawn from. The difference was like sipping from the kitchen tap versus a garden hose on full strength. It scared her, knowing that power was there begging for her to call it.

 

“Walk away,” she forced out through trembling lips. “Walk away and you get to see another night. Don't make me do this.”

 

The vampires looked back and forth between each other, smirks forming on their faces as they circled their prey. Several laughed, one who was larger than the rest spoke out, “I don't believe so. Kakistos said you and the blonde would be our supper. Don't worry, though, little witchling, he wants you for himself before you die. I think he plans to turn you, myself. Set you after the Slayer, see what she thinks of fighting her friends.”

 

Willow opened her eyes in shock, staring at the vampire who spoke. She'd already seen how hard it was for Buffy to take down someone she cared about when they went bad, she didn't want to imagine her friend facing that sort of fight again. She wasn't sure what she could do to stop it. Running for twenty minutes even constantly drawing on every source of electricity she had passed by had worn her down. She knew that what little power she still had stored was keeping her on her feet. There was more though, she could feel it calling out to her.

 

She looked at the surrounding vampires. They were arrogant, bloodthirsty, and certain that they had her beat. She was just the Slayer's, and Willow had to snort at that fallacy, best friend. They thought she was some newbie witch. They thought she couldn't stand on her own two feet. Willow knew they were wrong.

 

Two of the vampires moved in quick as can be from either side of her. They grabbed her arms and held them out from her body. She could feel them locking her arms straight with pressure on her elbows. It sang out with pain through her arms.

 

A third vampire, the largest of the group, stepped forward once he was certain she was restrained. His smile was condescending and sent a shiver down Willow's spine. As he neared he reached out and ran one finger across her jaw and leaned in, drawing a deep breath through his nostrils.

 

“You are not nearly afraid enough, little witchling,” he claimed in his hissing voice. Leaning back from her his face slipped into its vampiric guise which seemed even more horrific than usual somehow. “I will have to teach you to scream before we take you to our Master.”

 

A shiver ran up Willow's spine. His voice was like glass shattering. She could feel something dirty crawling across her skin. It was like oil, thick and viscous. Almost alive, it wanted to coat her in it, drown her in it.

 

Willow lifted her eyes to meet his and the fear that had been trying to crawl through her faded. A smirk slipped across her lips that caused the vampire to take a half step back before he stopped himself. “I don't need lessons,” she said as she mentally reached out, feeling for those lines of electricity that were so close yet so far. “I'll be happy to teach you one though,” she finished brightly as she felt her power finally latch on to her goal.

 

The electricity jumped from the power lines in a bright blue arc. It slammed into her back and chest casting a light so bright the vampires flinched in the artificial dawn that suddenly formed in the center of them. The vampire that had taunted her was pierced by the arc that came from her front turning him to dust instantly. The two that had held her seemed to explode as the bright blue energy swarmed into her and back out across her skin crackling in sheets like a living thing. As their shock faded with the brilliance the turned meaning to lash out at Willow only to falter yet again. In their center was a glowing goddess of light.

 

An aura of blue energy crackled and sparked around Willow. Her eyes were a solid glowing blue. She tilted her head as she slowly turned to take in her pursuers, meeting their yellow eyes with her glowing blue ones. “Warned you,” she said in an amused tone as she thrust one hand palm first at them. The blue arc of electricity jumped out, writhing like a snake as it bit into the first vampire. It arced to the vampire on his right, then to the one on his left leaving only dust in its serpentine wake.

 

“What the hell are you?” one of the vampires asked as his companions ceased to exist.

 

“Oh I'm just a girl, take a good look at me. Just your typical prototype,” the redhead answered, sing-song . “And I've had it up to here!”

 

The vampires moved, swarming in from both sides, seeking to overwhelm her. She thrust out the electricity in twin arcs of power, dusting three more of the undead monstrosities before the last three closed the distance.

 

The vampires took their turn to strike and took it well. One slammed his shoulder into Willow’s back throwing her forward. The second of the remaining vamps brought his fist around in an uppercut to her chin. As she staggered trying to push away from them the third landed a snap kick to her stomach.

 

Her eyes flared in anger as the energy continued to roll off of her. Willow absentmindedly noticed one of the vampires, the one who body checked her she guessed, had ripped off the leather jacket he had been wearing. He was stomping on it as if it were on fire. Another was shaking his fist as if it were numb from lack of circulation. Out of the three, only the one who kicked her seemed to still be unaffected and even there she could smell the hint of melted rubber wafting up from his boot.

 

“You're gonna pay for that witch,” the one shaking his fist snarled. “We're gonna drain you dry then watch Kakistos play with your corpse.”

 

Willow watched the vampires as a predatory smirk covered her face. With the electricity rushing through her she knew these three pitiful demons couldn't touch her. She had already turned so many of them to dust and she wasn't hurt in the least. Yet they were still threatening her. The thought brought a giggle to her lips as her smirk returned and morphed into a manic smile.

 

“You'd have to be alive to do that,” Willow whispered in response. The vampire had only a second to consider what she said as she pulled electricity from the power lines once again. The vampire shaking his hand turned to dust as one of the incoming bolts of power shot through him and into the redheaded mutant. The nimbus of energy around her flared brighter forcing the two remaining vampires back a step.

 

“Who's last?” she asked them, eyes glowing with power.

 

Let it not be said vampires don't have survival instincts. The two undead looked at one another then back to the glowing figure before them. The one who had asked what she was, suddenly pushed the other vampire forward as he turned to run, listening to his companion scream as Willow turned him to dust. He made it three steps. He considered the fact that he had only lived three steps longer than his now dead friend fitting. After all, he had been three steps behind Benny when a vampire had taken them from behind twenty years ago and turned them. He figured Benny owed him those three steps.

 

Still glowing with the power she had drawn out from the power lines Willow looked around herself for hostile eyes in the night. She didn't find any. In fact, she realized she didn't find much of anything beyond the glow she was giving off. Looking up she began to slowly take notice of all the stars that shone in the night sky that were normally obscured by even Sunnydale's limited night time lighting.

 

“Oops," she muttered as she looked around and started giggling once more.

 

 

 

 


	13. The Stage is Set

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, another huge thank you to my Beta-reader, Chadmaako, whose tireless efforts on my behalf always seem to find a way to improve upon my work.
> 
> The same thank you goes out to MeJA who has helped me parse through ideas and refine the ones I don't end up rejecting. He too has helped me to improve my work and become a better writer.
> 
> Thank you to you both, for without the two whom I consider my editing staff I would not be the writer I am.

When the power went out across Sunnydale, it was sudden.  Some in the city were watching television.  Others had been in bars.  A few had been on the road driving and they were amongst the last to realize...until the collisions and fender benders began, all due to the traffic lights not working.  Oz and Giles, however, were among the first to notice.    
  
Oz had stayed at Giles' place after the Scooby meeting had broken up.  With Willow being out on patrol with Annalyse and the Dingo's not playing at the Bronze that night he had elected to wait until his girlfriend came back so he could make sure she was safe.  Oz didn't consider himself an unenlightened male and knew that Willow could protect herself, doubly so since her mutation had emerged.  He was a caring though often quiet person and knew no better way to show this to Willow than being here when she got back to listen to whatever rambling stories she might want to tell about the night.  And if things had gone poorly for her he'd be there to hold her and offer comfort.  
  
At least, that was what he told himself when he accepted Giles' offer to wait until Willow had come back from patrol.  Really the Watchers most excellent collection of classic rock was just an added bonus.  Truly, that was all it was.  It was nothing more than happenstance. Oz knelt on the floor of Giles’ living room flipping through his old albums as Jailbreak by Thin Lizzy filled the room. “Okay, either I'm borrowing all your albums or I'm moving in.”  
  
Giles looked at him. “Oz, there are more important things than records right now.”  
  
Oz pulled ‘Loaded’ by The Velvet Underground out and held it up. “More important than this one?”  
  
Giles shrugged. “Well, I suppose an argument could be made for…” Darkness and silence filled the room, cutting off anything the elder British gentleman was about to say.     
  
Oz had almost convinced himself of that when the power went out and silence took over were once the music had filled the air.  The two shared a look before Giles stood and moved to the front window.  He slid the curtains to the side, peeking out as if he were afraid something would peek back in.  In Sunnydale, it was a completely justifiable fear.  
  
“The entire neighborhood had gone dark,” the Watcher said with a pensive tone.  
  
Oz joined him at the window looking out from the other side of the curtains and frowned.  “Sunnydale's never lost power that I can remember,” he told the Englishman.  “Nasty storm a few years back was the worst.  Power flickered twice, that was it.”  
  
“And there's no storm tonight at all,” Giles added.  
  
The two glanced at one another then stepped away from the window.  Giles quickly moved to one of his cabinets and opened it pulling a sword, a crossbow, and several stakes out of it.  He passed the crossbow complete with ammunition and two of the stakes to Oz before strapping the sword on and pocketing a stake while keeping the other in his hand.  “We'll just take a stroll around the block.  It may be nothing, but I do not want to be caught unawares if this is a precursor to an attack,” he told the young werewolf.  
  
Oz nodded and headed to the door, Giles following close behind.  They had gotten no further than the sidewalk when the glowing blue light accompanied by a high feminine laugh caught their complete attention.  Only half a block away they could see Willow.  She was lit up like a star in the blackest night walking down the middle of the street.  Every now and then she would stop, trail her hand in front of her face, and begin giggling all over.  The two shared a look of confusion before moving to join the young mutant.  
  
As they neared, Willow suddenly looked up at them.  Her nose scrunched up as her eyes narrowed.  At first, Giles and Oz tensed.  They knew something odd had occurred and were unsure of how Willow would react.  Then her eyes shot open wide and she started laughing again and the two let their stances relax.  
  
“Oh god,” Willow said with a giggle, “You two are so awesome.  You came out to help.  But that's okay.  They're all dusty.  Mine are at least.  Totally.  They thought they had me surrounded,” Willow paused to giggle again and snorted before continuing, “But nope.  Totally not surrounded.  Well, I was, but yeah it so didn't matter.  I mean with all that electricity around it was so easy.  It was like a bug zapper.  Zap, Zap, Zap, Zop, Zippidoo-dah, Zippidi-yay, my oh my what a wonderful day.”  
  
Oz and Giles could only look on dumbfounded for a few moments.  Willows bright cheerful singsong voice was completely opposite of what they saw in front of them.  One of Willow's arms hung limply by her side.  How she had managed to move it, let alone remain conscious baffled them both.  Her lower lip was split, the blood that had trickled down to her chin and smeared giving her a ghastly appearance.  
  
“Oh my,” Giles finally said aloud.  “I believe I know what has happened.”  
  
Oz glanced at the Watcher and lifted a single brow at the statement.  Though Giles never turned to look at the young man he seemed to have noticed as he continued, “Willow has drawn in an excessive amount of electricity, it would seem.  The glow she is exhibiting, her rather... cheerful mood,” he said with a slight sigh.  “It would seem she is overcharged.  It may be the only thing keeping her standing, but I fear it might be dangerous as well.  The glow... the aura around her it might even make it impossible for us to give her medical aid.”  
  
Oz watched his girlfriend as she spun in place looking up at the night sky.  She was humming now, occasionally delving into whistling.  The broad grin that was plastered on her blood coated lips was chilling.  “So what do we do?” He asked Giles, trusting in him to have a plan.  
  
“We have to get her to release the energy somehow.  Preferably in a manner that doesn't result in explosions, fires, or incidental electrocutions,” Giles answered as he looked around the neighborhood.  
  
Oz gave a nod so slight it was almost imperceptible.  While Giles looked around hopelessly for a solution Oz simply stepped forward calling out to Willow gently, “Willow, baby.”  When she stopped turning and looked at him he smiled as softly as he could, letting his eyes rest on her's and trying not to think about the blood on her face.  “Willow I need you to come with me over to the grass, okay?”  
  
Willow tilted her head then started giggling, “Oh picnic time!  That's it right, were going to have a picnic!  Did you bring a pic-a-nic basket, Oz?  Oh, are there ants?  No ants at the picnic!  It's not allowed!  If ants show up I'll just zap them, though.  That's right, it'll be a fricassee with electricity!”  
  
As Willow merrily babbled away she followed Oz over to the front yard of a nearby house.  He silently apologized to the owners for what he was about to have Willow do.  “Willow, we gotta sit for a picnic, right,” he said more than asked his girlfriend.  He sat himself down cross-legged and waited for Willow to do the same.  Once she had he smiled again and looked at the grass.  “I think there might be ants, Willow.  Think you can take care of that?  Maybe fry all the ants on the ground so they don't stop our picnic?”  
  
Willow giggled and nodded her head rapidly.  Oz marveled at how she managed to not knock herself out as fast as she was making the motion, then chalked it up to her overcharged body.  As Willow put her hands palm down on the grass he watched carefully, his body tensing as he prayed he was right about this.  
  
Without a word Willow's hands flared even brighter as she pushed every ounce of energy she had stored, into the ground.  Oz could smell the burnt grass under her hands and hoped it didn't spread beyond that.  For a moment, he didn't think it was going to work but then Willow's glowing radiance suddenly flickered and sputtered then went out.  The glow around her hands died shortly after.  
  
“Ouchie,” was the only thing Willow said before she fell backward unconscious.  
  
Giles slowly approached the two teens.  He took in the obvious injuries the teen had suffered before being found by Oz and himself.  Cataloging the damage he weighed the risks of transporting her to the hospital during the blackout versus trying to tend to her wounds themselves.  
  
“We should get her inside,” the Watcher finally said, coming to a decision.  “Taking her to the hospital might prove more difficult than normal at the moment and they are likely flooded with more mundane trauma.  I don't believe she has any life-threatening injuries since she was mobile.  We should be able to tend to her ourselves.”  
  
Oz moved over to check his girlfriend and was carefully lifting her from the ground.  His eyes flickered up to Giles for a moment then he stood, carefully scooping the redhead into his arms as he did so.  He gave Giles another glance before starting off back towards the man's home.  “Dislocated shoulder, cuts...don't know if anything is broken,” he reported.  
  
Giles nodded knowing the younger man's clipped tones were the only sign he would give that he was upset.  'Understandable, though I wonder who he is going to blame for this.  Himself, the creatures that did it, or Annalyse,' Giles worriedly considered.  
  
As if summoned by telepathy both of them caught the sounds of Annalyse's voice calling to them as she flew down to land next to them.  “Damn it, is she okay?  I sent her on ahead to keep her out of the fighting.  Crap, crap, crap,” the blonde exclaimed, her voice thick with worry.  
  
Oz lifted an eyebrow then looked back down to the girl in his arms.  He blew his breath out through his nose before continuing his trek back to Giles' apartment.  The look he had given her was cold and angry.  The usually relaxed Oz who seemed so unflappable was not home in that instant.  
  
Annalyse trembled slightly as Oz moved on towards Giles.  She sucked a breath in and closed her eyes.  She had seen looks like that before and they had never ended well for the person they were directed at.  She had been on the receiving end more than once herself.  She was so lost in her memories of the last time someone had looked at her like that she didn't know Giles was still standing there until his hand came down on her shoulder eliciting a loud 'eep' from her lips.  
  
“Come, dear girl.  He will calm a great deal once we have ensured Willow's well-being.  Once that is done you can tell us what occurred to lead us to this situation,” Giles told her with as warm a tone as he could muster.  
  
Annalyse blinked a few tears away and wiped at her eyes.  Nodding she let the Watcher lead her gently towards his house.  
  


(***)

Mr. Trick's office was a thing of modern luxury, something he felt he deserved after all the years his Master had kept him leashed close and in the foul smelling crypts and warehouses the ancient vampire preferred.  The walls were covered with cherry wood paneling polished to a brilliant shine.  The floor was thick plush carpet that almost invited a person to sit down, kick off their shoes, and luxuriate in its soft fibers.  The desk that Mayor Wilkins had provided him was thick and heavy, handcrafted by the Amish.  Even his office chair was the height of comfort, large and ergonomic, covered in authentic leather.

He had just leaned back to enjoy a fine brandy, something he had grown to appreciate over both his life and unlife.  He swirled the amber liquid about admiring how it caught the light from the sculpted lamp that sat on his desk.  As he brought it to his lips, the lights went out.

Mr. Trick held in the curse that sat on the edge of his lips.  His host, and hopeful future employer, Mayor Wilkins was death on bad language.  The first time Mr. Trick had discovered this odd facet of the sorcerer who founded Sunnydale it had come as a small bit of amusement.  A small group of vampires had just reported that the Slayer's redheaded friend had grown in her own powers as a witch and used a few well thought out profanities to describe her.  Mayor Wilkins took offense to this.  It seemed he felt that even someone who was meant to be his enemy, sacrifice, and pain in his side was not to be spoken of in certain ways in his presence.  He had promptly impaled a wooden stake in the vampire's heart before reminding those present that foul language would not be tolerated in his city.

Since then Mr. Trick had reverted back to the language his grandma had instilled in him.  He found so long as he remained polite, even if he disagreed with the Mayor, he didn't seem to be at risk of losing his unlife.  That suited him just fine.  The Mayor had standards and Mr. Trick could understand keeping standards.  It was just a shame Kakistos didn't feel the same way.  It broke Mr. Trick's unbeating heart to be there, in a plush office, with fine liquor, finer blood, lights, internet...

Mr. Trick shook himself out of his thoughts and stood to go find out what had happened.  It was only a short trip down the hall to the Mayor's office.  His secretary was already out for the night so he knocked on the door and waited for the Mayor's, “Come in,” before opening it.

Mayor Wilkins the Third looked up as Mr. Trick entered his office and grimaced, “I don't suppose you have any idea what is going on?” he asked in his ever pleasant voice.

Mr. Trick shook his head as he took the seat the Mayor offered him with a wave of his hand.  “No, I'm afraid not.  If this was done by Kakistos then it wasn't part of the plan,” the tech-savvy vampire reported.  “My guess is that there is a more mundane answer, not that I could come up with one myself.”

“Yes, yes, you are probably correct in your assumption, Mr. Trick,” the Mayer said affably with a nod.  “Still I like to make sure.  I've already made phone calls to the power company.  They say the problem is at the substations.  Unfortunately, they are generally unmanned so I have to wait for someone to get out there and check them.  Odd thing though is they did not think we'd lose power like this unless we lost all the substations.”

The two sat comfortably in the darkness contemplating the blackout.  Neither had any real clue what could be the problem, neither were electrical engineers after all.  They only knew their own brands of specialization were most likely not involved.  Mr. Trick was about to suggest sending someone to speak with Kakistos when the buildings lights flickered back on.

“Ah, finally,” the Mayor said with a smile.  “I knew I had those backup generators installed for a reason.  Well, at least we won't be without power here at city hall.  That should make remedying this situation that much easier.  Can't have my voters without power.  All their food will spoil.”

Mr. Trick nodded, once more surprised by the apparent care the man had for those living in his city.  “I'll send one of the vampires on staff to speak with Kakistos.  Make sure he wasn't the cause of the problem.”

The Mayor smiled as he picked up the phone and started to dial. “That sounds like a fine plan.  I'll make some calls.  See if a warlock or two can't convince the lazy bones at the power company to be quick about fixing this.  Maybe a sacrifice or two will help speed things along, do you think?”

(***)

Agent Campbell scanned the information in front of him and felt a deep seeded worry spread through his stomach.  Power outages, even ones that took out the entire power grid of a small city, were not usually the affair of SHIELD.  They were a matter for FEMA and other disaster relief organizations to handle.

This time, he thought that might not be the case.  All the information available showed absolutely zero cause for the power outage that had occurred less than an hour ago in the small suburb of Los Angeles known as Sunnydale.  Radar and satellite imaging had shown no serious weather patterns in the area.  Seismographs showed no unusual tectonic activity.  There were not even any reports of fires.  According to the information he was looking at the entire city just went dead for no reason.

Frowning deeper as he searched for some cause of the blackout he kept coming up blank.  There was no reason, obvious or otherwise, for the city's power grid to have failed so spectacularly.  As he looked closer he noticed that the only outward sign of the blackout, aside from there being no lights on in the city, was that each and every substation that tied the small city to the greater power grid had failed.

Flipping to the section of the report that would hold the information he was looking for, Agent Campbell sucked in a breath.  There in black and white was the pattern he had been looing for.  Between each failure and the next was a .2 seconds difference.  A few typed commands and set parameters later and the information was displayed on a topographical map of the city and the pattern became even more obvious to him.  Spiraling inward the substations had failed one after another.  The center was not perfect, it was far from it, but the pattern of blown substations almost circled a portion of the city.  Each one that had blown being closer to it than the previous.

Deciding he had performed his due diligence Agent Campbell flagged the file to be pushed higher up the chain.  He couldn't find anything to explain the otherwise mundane event so it would be bumped up to his supervisor who would then look over the intelligence and decide if a team needed to be put on the ground.

Sending off the file with the appropriate flags Agent Campbell began locking down his terminal.  It was getting late and he was supposed to have been home hours ago.  He strode out of the office without giving the odd blackout another thought.

(***)

Giles nearly shot out of his chair when the front door to his apartment slammed open.  Seeing it was Buffy and Faith he calmed himself and walked over to them.  His eyes expertly danced across both teens, taking in their forms for any signs of injury that appeared new.  This took him only a few moments before the relative silence was broken by Buffy.

“Giles, what the hell happened?  The entire city has gone lights out.  Did vampires do this?  Demons?  And where are they?  We didn't run into a single vamp on the way back from the Bronze.  There was nothing.  You'd think they'd be celebrating with midnight snacks!  So where are they all at?  They have got to be planning something big if they blacked out the city, Giles.”

Giles rocked back on his heels as Buffy's ramble issued forth.  For a brief moment, he had to check if she had suddenly turned into a redhead.  Shaking himself free of his own shock he shook his head. “No, Buffy, vampires nor demons are responsible for this... incident,” he said as calmly as he could.  “It would seem that Willow used her.. ah... magic... to ah... drain the power grid in self-defense.  Annalyse is currently flying above the city to get us an idea of the damage caused.”

Buffy's eyes widened, understanding what wasn't being said. Faith let out her own low chuckle, “Wow B, looks like you got some serious backup if your witch can take down an entire city like that.”

Giles nodded lightly as his eyes flickered to Faith and back to Buffy.  He led them inside and motioned for them to sit.  Faith sprawled out into one of his armchairs almost like a giant cat.  Buffy tucked her legs up under herself as she found a place on the couch.  Once they were seated and removed his glasses and started to polish them, trying to decide how to break the news to Buffy about Willow.

“Oh that's not good, B,” Faith spoke with a grin.  She pointed with her chin at the Watcher to indicate what she was talking about and continued, “Watcher's polishing his glasses.  Means there's something he doesn't wanna tell us.”

Buffy's eyes flicked from Faith to Giles.  Under her scrutiny, he sighed and returned his glasses to his face with a small nod.  “Faith would be correct in this instance.  Willow's use of her.. ah.. um... magic... left her a bit weakened.  She also suffered some injuries during her fight.”

Buffy felt her jaw fall open for a moment before she snapped it shut and closed her eyes.  Several deep breaths were needed for her to calm herself before she could speak again.  “Where was Annalyse during this?  She promised she would make sure Willow was safe.  So how the hell did she get hurt?”

“Buffy,” Giles said, then blew out his breath before continuing in as calm a voice as he muster, “from what I was told by Annalyse, that was exactly what she was trying to do.  They were on their way back with information concerning a master vampire that has come to Sunnydale recently when they were attacked.  Annalyse landed to handle the vampires and insisted Willow not stay and fight, that the intel was more important.”

“Then what the hell happened Giles?  How did Willow get hurt if Annalyse sent her away from the fight?”

“There were more of them, Buffy,” he said with resignation laced in his voice.  “Annalyse was attacked by a dozen vampires.  More continued to track Willow and attempted to keep her from arriving here.  We're not entirely certain how many.  Willow was not... umm.. completely lucid when we found her.”

Faith finally spoke up, her voice even and steady in contrast to Buffy's wavering tones, “B, Anna wouldn't let Red run off to get hurt on purpose.  Sides, if G-man here's attitude is any indication, I'll bet Willow is at home sleeping this off.  So she couldn't have been too bad off.  Red'll be out dusting vamp ass in no time, you'll see.”

Buffy leaned back into the couch and seemed to pull herself in tighter.  With a sigh, she nodded in agreement then looked over to Giles, “Faith's right.  Will's not hurt bad, is she?”

“No, the worst of her injuries was a dislocated shoulder.  She has some bruising and a split lip I had to suture, but overall she came out remarkably well.  And yes, she is at home.  Her parents are once more out on one of their convention tours so Oz is staying with her tonight.”

Buffy relaxed immensely upon hearing her friend was alright.  A dislocated shoulder would be painful but she knew Giles would have put it back in place before sending Willow home.  He had done it often enough for her that first year in Sunnydale.  With Oz by her side, she'd be alright and be able to get plenty of rest.

“So what about this intel Red was supposed to deliver,” Faith asked.  “I mean, it's gotta be some serious shit if someone sent twelve vamps after Anna and kicked Red's ass to try and keep us from getting it.”

“Yes, quite right,” Giles said after a moment's hesitation.  “I had planned to wait until the morning to share this information when we were all gathered, though I suppose right now the only ones that would be left without knowing would be Xander and Cordelia.  It seems this master vampire is forming an army of sorts.  Annalyse reported there being at least seventy vampires at tonight's gathering in the warehouse district.  He is intending to send them after the Slayer as some sort of hunt, beginning tomorrow night.”

Buffy worried at her lip once Giles gave her the information her friend had fought to bring them.  Seventy vamps was a lot.  With twelve dusted by Annalyse that still left nearly sixty of the bloodsuckers around town, minus however many Willow had managed to dust.  Then there was this master vampire that was egging them on.

“Sounds like a blast to me,” Faith said with a smirk.  “Lotsa vamps trying to get together to take down a Slayer.  Gonna shock the piss outta them when they find two Slayers and Anna waiting for them, ain't that right, B?”

“No Faith, they already know,” Buffy told her quickly.  At the disbelieving look Faith gave her, she shrugged her shoulders, “What, they have to.  Why else would they know they needed to stop Annalyse and Willow?  Whoever this master vamp is he's got some info on us already.”

“Alright, I'll give you that one, B,” Faith responded.  “Just means it'll be even funnier to kick his ass.  I mean hell between the two of us I bet we can stomp him into the ground no problem.  Who cares if we never learn his name.  He's just dust waiting to happen, right?”

Giles cleared his throat, drawing the eyes of both teens to him.  Once he had their attention he leaned forward with a frown, “I'm afraid we cannot take this threat so lightly.  We do know who he is thanks to Annalyse and Willow playing spymasters for us and he has a rather vicious reputation.”

“Okay, G-man, then what's this clowns name so we can put it on his urn,” Faith asked as mirth danced in her eyes.

The mirth and humor suddenly dropped as Giles answered.  Her olive skin turned several shades paler.  She dug her hands into the chair she was sitting on even as she felt her body begin to vibrate and tremble.  One word, one name, echoed over and over again drowning out what Buffy was trying to say to her.

“Kakistos.”  
    


	14. Plans within Plans

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always I want to thank my Beta reader, Chadmaako, for doing such a wonderful job. (Shameless Advert) Read his work if you haven't. He inspired me to start actually writing Fanfiction.

Chapter 14: Plans within Plans

 

Xander wasn't entirely sure if it was the world or the Watcher that hated him. One had thrown all manner of horrible terrifying things into his life over the years, including the Cordettes. The other seemed to take active malicious joy in the little things he did to bring misery into Xander's life. At the moment he was more willing to blame the Watcher, who had woken him up far too early for Summer vacation, than the world, who had somehow seen fit to get him into a relationship with Cordelia.

 

Still grumbling inside his head, Xander knocked on the door to the Watchers apartment and plastered a smile on his face. Two boxes of doughnuts were held casually under one arm as he balanced two drink trays worth of coffee in the other. A small smile lit his face as he spotted the scuff marks his foot had made on the door as he 'knocked', considering it a small retaliation for waking up before noon.

 

The door swung open to Buffy's less than cheerful face. Knowing that at least one other person was grumpy being up so early filled Xander with a sense of united purpose and lifted his spirits slightly. “Mind grabbing... well... anything,” he asked his bestest blonde friend.

 

Buffy took the coffee trays from him and stepped deeper into the apartment, leaving the door open for him to follow in their usual Sunnydale style. Kicking the door shut, he followed her into the living room where the rest of the Scoobies were gathered. He set the boxes of sugary confections on the coffee table and looked around the room, a frown tugging at his lips again. He could hear Giles in his kitchen and Xander assumed he was making himself tea.

 

“Where's Cordy,” he finally asked as his friends dug into the morning snackage he had brought.

 

Buffy snickered, biting her bottom lip as she shot a glance at Faith. Annalyse covered her mouth with one hand and refused to meet Xander's eyes. When he looked to Willow for an answer she buried her face in Oz's shoulder, hiding from him as her body shook softly. A look to the implacable werewolf netted him no direct answer as he slowly chewed the bite of doughnut he had taken right as the question was asked.

 

When he swallowed, Oz just shrugged. Realizing no one was about to come forth to give an answer he said, “Bed?”

 

The one-word answer/question short-circuited Xander's brain for a minute. When he recovered he raised an eyebrow and repeated the answer/question back at Oz in an incredulous tone, “Bed?”

 

The werewolf nodded as he tried to lean forward with his girlfriend still pressing into his shoulder to get a cup of the coffee Xander had brought.

 

“So she is in bed or you think she is in bed,” Xander finally asked.

 

“Think.” “Know.” came the simultaneous answers from Willow and Buffy respectively causing Faith and Annalyse to finally laugh.

 

Xander looked back and forth between his two best friends in confusion, “So which is it?”

 

“Know,” Faith told him with a smirk. “No way was she not staying there after her little talk with Tweed.”

 

“Conversation, what conversation? Okay, I know it's early but could someone please make some sense,” Xander pleaded as he looked between his friends.

 

“Your other half has a... colorful... vocabulary when she is woke up against her wishes,” Annalyse told him.

 

Buffy and Willow giggled themselves, the redhead burying her face back into Oz's shoulder in an attempt to stifle herself. Faith raised an eyebrow and looked at Annalyse in disbelief, “Colorful? If you call taking two minutes to describe Tweed's ancestry and telling him in detail what he can do with said ancestry colorful, I wanna hear what you call ripping someone a new ass.”

 

All four of the girls started to laugh and even Oz managed a small chuckle. Xander looked at each of them in turn in surprise before a small smile started to form on his lips. “You mean Cordy, my Cordy, got out of a Scooby meeting by telling G-man off?” As each of them nodded he let out a full belly laugh and shook his head. Taking a seat he grabbed a cup of coffee for himself and one of the jelly filled doughnuts. “Now why the hell didn't I think of that,” he wondered aloud as he took a bite.

 

[***]

 

The good humor from Cordelia telling off of Giles had evaporated some time ago. None of the gathered group looked particularly pleased with the news that had been shared. An ancient and powerful vampire was in the city and was intent on hunting down the Slayer. Add to that bit of information, according to Annalyse and Willow, he was amassing what amounted to an army of the undead to do it and things got rather grim indeed. Even more disturbing was the fact that they were unsure of how much information about them Kakistos had. At the very least he had known that Annalyse and Willow had been eavesdropping. If the attacks against them both the previous night had not been enough, Annalyse's fly over of the warehouse they had found him in originally only confirmed it. The building now sat empty other than the dead bodies of the victims that had served as the vampires’ meals.

 

Oz had been particularly upset for a bit when Annalyse described how she had ordered Willow to separate from her. After she had explained her reasoning and apologized for the tactical error, Oz had readily forgiven the incident. He knew the dangers inherent in what they all did and couldn't find it in himself to hold onto a grudge based on an honest mistake. Willow was alive, if a bit worse for wear.

 

Now Buffy and Faith had fallen into strategy mode. Xander noted how it was eerie how the two seemed to fall into an almost instant synchronization as they planned, including their counter arguments against Giles and his insistence that they could do nothing without knowing the location of Kakistos' lair and that they had no way to find it.

 

'Probably has to do with how quickly Buffy defended Faith against any and all comers when Giles told us what he had found out from the Watchers council,’ he realized.

 

When the Watcher had let it spill that he knew that Faith's Watcher was not at a retreat and started demanding answers, answers that the Watcher already knew it turned out, Buffy had jumped down his throat.

 

“I don't give a damn what she did and didn't tell us,” Buffy insisted. “She's a Slayer and you know how the council pounds into a Slayers' head that they are alone. How long did you try putting that in my head, Giles? How long are you going to, because you still do it! Whatever happened, she's scared. If you cannot see that, then I don't get how the hell you can call yourself a Watcher.”

 

Annalyse had wrapped Faith up in her arms tightly. Xander knew that it was to offer the dark slayer comfort, but he was equally sure it was just as much to make sure she didn't storm out of the apartment.

 

When Willow had tried to say that scared or not, Faith should have trusted them, Buffy gave Willow a pointed look and raised an eyebrow. Looking around the room at the original Scoobies the message was loud and clear, 'we have secrets we haven't trusted them with.' Xander had almost thought that Buffy was going to come out with the whole truth about herself and Willow right then and there, but Faith inadvertently put a stop to that by sharing her own past.

 

As the Scoobies learned how she had been forced to watch Kakistos and his minions' torture Diana Dormer, her Watcher, in front of her, they shuddered. Faith wasn't kind or gentle in her descriptions either. She didn't go into explicit detail, but what she did say led Willow to run to the bathroom during the story. In the end, Faith watched as her Watcher was drained dry and her mutilated body desecrated in the vilest of fashions before she managed to escape, scarring Kakistos in the process.

 

The moral of the entire story was two-fold. Kakistos was there for Faith, and any and all of them should be afraid of what would happen if he captured them.

 

“We think we've got a plan,” Buffy finally said as she and Faith stood up from where they had been huddled together. “It might not be the best, but we think it is our best shot at getting to Kakistos before he can get to us.”

 

Xander noticed that Faith moved back across the room to sit next to Annalyse. He had not missed that the nervous tension he had first spotted when her past with Kakistos was revealed had eased considerably. She still looked like she was strung tighter than a cat among rocking chairs, but it was more of a battle ready tension that was starting to flow through all of them.

 

“Annalyse, this whole thing is going to ride on you. We need you to do a fly over of the warehouse district. Use your x-ray vision to find where they are holed up. I know you did a quick look-see at their old warehouse, but there are dozens if not hundreds of the things in Sunnydale. Check them all and find us a target.”

 

Annalyse nodded in agreement and after a moment of thought spoke up, “I'll use my ring to stay invisible. As long as I stay high enough I should be able to avoid alerting the vamps to my presence and stay unnoticed by civilians.”

 

Buffy smiled and continued, “Good. Once we have a target, if it is still daytime we are going to strike then. Faith has some ideas for improvised incendiary devices for that.”

 

“They're called Molotov cocktails, B,” Faith said, cutting in with a grin.

 

Buffy stuck her tongue out at the Slayer before pressing on, “Willow and Giles will be topside for that. They'll get things started by lighting up our target while Faith and I are in the sewers. If, and by if I mean when, the vamps realize what's going on and run for them we'll be waiting for them. They'll be stuck between Slayers and a hot place,” she finished with a quirk of her lips.

 

“Yes, well... I seem to see a flaw in your plan, Buffy. Setting a vampire's lair on fire was all well and good back in the dark ages when buildings were well and far apart. However, doing so in Sunnydale could easily result in an out of control blaze,” Giles said in rebuttal of their plan.

 

Faith grinned and pointed at Annalyse, “That's what Flygirl is here for.” She continued on over top of Annalyse's indignant shout at the impromptu nickname, “Notice B didn't include her in the ambush? She's going to be flying overwatch. Any vamps try to run out into the sun but manage to not get dusty get to meet her. Plus she can use that super blow action of hers to keep the fire from getting out of control,"

 

As Faith finished explaining Giles nodded in appreciation that the girls had thought far enough ahead for this possibility. Annalyse for her part had turned red in embarrassment and looked only seconds from demonstrating how hot her heat vision could get with Faith as the target dummy.

 

“What about us?” Xander asked, indicating himself and Oz.

 

“Oz is going to be wheelman. He's going to be parked well out of the way of the fire to pick up Willow and Giles once we know the blaze is going good and strong. You'll act as his look out,” Buffy told him.

 

Xander frowned hearing his role and shook his head, “No way, I wanna see those suckers burn. I'll go with them to set the fire,” he insisted.

 

“No way, Xander. Willow can protect herself and Giles has his training to fall back on if it comes to it. You do not have either. I'm not taking the risk that you'll get hurt. You stay with Oz and make sure you two don't get caught by surprise by something,” Buffy told him in no uncertain terms.

 

“What could happen to me during the day?” Xander demanded to know.

 

Buffy ignored him and glanced over at Willow, “Willow, get your laptop set up. We'll need the plans for the sewers by the time Annalyse gets us a location. Then we'll figure out the details, load up, and go in. It's 9:32 am right now. The sun sets at 9:36 pm and I'd like to get a mani-pedi after this is all over.”

 

(***)

 

It had taken less time than Buffy had thought possible to find the warehouse Kakistos had his burgeoning vampire army stashed in. Once Annalyse had returned with the information, having spent a total of thirty minutes away, it took the group another hour to track down any and all possible underground entrances. She had hoped for only a single entrance but the building they were holed up in had both an exit into the sewer system and a second that dropped lower and into the natural cave system that ran beneath Sunnydale. That complicated matters slightly.

 

They had two choices for dealing with that second tunnel; the first option was to split the ambush. Faith would take one tunnel and Buffy the other. That way they could cover both. However, after the fights Annalyse and Willow had both undergone alone it was less than optimal, particularly once Kakistos made his appearance. The second option was to block one of the exits. The exit into the natural caves would be the easiest to collapse. It wasn't reinforced the same way the sewer system was. Lack of explosives to do the demo work would have made that plan b, though. Then Annalyse fessed up to being able to rig something up to do the work with supplies they could pick up from the local garden supply shop and a hardware store. It wouldn't be clean or pretty, but it would do the job.

 

With the option of using explosives opened up to them, the only other matter of concern was setting and detonating the explosives. Buffy had wanted to use remote detonators, but when Willow started going on about how powerful of a transmitter would be needed to penetrate not only several tens of feet of soil and concrete but the sewer system as well that dream had been laid to rest. Yes, Willow could rig up something to detonate by remote, but nothing that would be both wireless and have the range and penetration to do the job they needed. That left putting one of their teammates into the caves alone to set and detonate the explosives manually or to set them on a timer and pray everything went to plan.

 

The final decision was taken out of Buffy's hands. Willow was the brains of their group and could defend herself if need be. She wasn't up to one hundred percent after the damage she took the night before but she was still a fair bit better off than any of the guys solo. The real downside for Buffy was that meant Xander got his wish. They had to move him up from playing lookout for Oz to helping Giles firebomb the building.

 

The look of smug satisfaction on his face when he was told about the change in plans scared Buffy. She understood needing to help and choosing to fight. She had done the same thing herself so long ago it almost seemed like another lifetime. She had the power to make a difference, though. How could she not put herself on the front lines when she was so much more prepared than those around her? Willow and Annalyse had made the same choice as she had. They had the power so they had to help fight right out there on the front lines.

 

Yet Buffy knew that Willow wished more than anything that she could still just be research-girl. As much as she wanted to help she hated the fighting. Buffy saw it on the redhead’s face the first night they had patrolled together. She rode the thrill during the moment but afterward she looked haunted. Now with Oz and Giles' report on what happened the night before, the possibility her power was the source of Willows rush during the fight each and every time was a reality. It wasn't the redhead, but her _power_ that enjoyed the fight.

 

Xander had no such reasons for wanting to be on the front line. He didn't have the inherent mutant powers that she and Willow had. He wasn't an alien from another planet or dimension like Annalyse. He most assuredly wasn't a Slayer unless there was something serious he had never shared with anyone. He didn't have the natural ability to protect himself out in the open like the rest of them. He didn't even have Oz's werewolf instincts or Giles' training to help him.

 

As far as Buffy could tell, he wasn't interested in changing that either. He had sat through several of her training sessions and always passed when Giles asked him to step in and work with her. He always said that he wouldn't be any help since he didn't know how to fight and just kept watching or reading a comic. The latter more often than the former, in fact.

 

Buffy knew that Giles hadn't needed the breaks he had claimed he needed when he asked Xander to step in. Her Watcher had been trying to train Xander without making an obvious offer to do so. She wasn't sure if Xander had simply been oblivious to the roundabout offers or if he had just been too lazy to accept the training.

 

His reaction to seeing her armory had her leaning more towards the second one. The thought of a way to quickly and effortlessly put himself on the same level as her had instantly appealed to him. She hadn't said as much, but that was another reason she hadn't been willing to outfit him with her tech, addiction side effects notwithstanding. She wasn't sure he was willing to go all the way to prepare himself to use it.

 

'At least being out in the daylight he’ll be safe,' she thought as she and Faith made their way into the sewers.

 

The plan they had settled on was to put Willow into position to blow the homemade demolition charges once she had signs of vampires moving into the escape tunnel. Once she took care of any that managed to make it through before the tunnel collapsed she was supposed to join Giles and Xander on the surface to ensure containment from that angle as well. Faith and Buffy had the task of taking out any and all comers that came into the sewers. The narrow space was anathema to Buffy's generally flashy and mobile fighting style but it would allow them to maximize the damage her various and sundry toys of mass undeath extermination could cause as well as take numbers out of the fight. It wasn't perfect, but it couldn't get much better without dropping the ceiling on the sewer tunnel as well and trapping the vampires in the burning warehouse. They just didn't have enough time to make that many explosives.

 

'Well, like Xander said, what can happen to him in broad daylight?’ Buffy asked herself then winced realizing what she had done.

 

Somewhere on another plane of existence, a man named Murphy looked up from his glass of beer and smiled. A quick glance at the bartender had another pitcher on it's way over to him in a hurry. When the waitress arrived she smiled and asked Murphy what had suddenly made the usually morose man so happy.

 

He answered, “Just realized I got someone thinking of me,” his smile slowly growing into a full-fledged grin.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I want to apologize for taking so long to get this chapter up. I want to, but I really can't. I've been lost in Boston hunting Fusion Cores and Deathclaws and just having too much darn fun to apologize for it. But I'm back to writing again, at least until Nuka World is released hehe. I promise, though, no matter whether it is the Wasteland or Nirn that takes me away for a time, I've not forgotten my responsibility to not be an evil author.


	15. No Good Plan...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you yet again to my Beta, Chadmaako! I hope you all enjoy reading this as I did writing.

Annalyse hovered in the air above the abandoned factory warehouse that she had found the vampire army in. She hadn't been able to confirm Kakistos was inside but Buffy and Giles both had seemed rather certain that he would be. In the end, it wouldn't matter. If he was inside, he would soon be fleeing for his unlife just as his minions would be and Buffy and Faith would be waiting for him.

She was still amazed at all the devices that Giles seemed to be able to procure for Buffy and her activities as the Slayer. Some of them she would swear had to have been created through devise rather than invention. Only someone who was capable of breaking physical laws would be able to make some of the things Buffy had work. That the Watchers Council had such a person on their payroll to assist the Slayer was nothing short of a miracle.

A miracle that according to Faith she had never seen the fruits of.

That was bothering Annalyse a great deal. From what little she had been able to get out of Faith about her time with her former Watcher, the two of them had never had the kind of support in terms of supplies and weapons that Buffy and Giles did. It made sense to insure the Slayer on the Hellmouth had all the best equipment to protect the dimensional rift, of course. What didn't make sense was that they couldn't have spared even a small supply of some of the weapons Buffy had access to.

Shaking off the feeling that she and Faith hadn't gotten the whole story, Annalyse prepared herself for the assault. She verified that both Buffy and Faith as well as Willow were in position with her x-ray vision, thankful that there was no lead between herself and their spots under the earth. Fading back into sight she waved down towards where Giles and Xander waited, their bags of Molotov cocktails hanging from their shoulders. They had to have Giles go out and purchase the bottles of liquor much to his objections. He had only relented when Faith finally agreed with him, pointing out they didn't need him to go shopping for liquor, he had plenty in his house they could use. The lot of them had laughed, giggled, and chortled at how quickly Giles was out the door, all the while demanding they leave his liquor cabinet alone.

Annalyse let out her own small chuckle as she watched Xander and Giles light the first of their Molotov's and begin the fire bombing.

(***)

“Take this you blood sucking fiends!” Xander screamed at the top of his lungs as he launched the first of his Molotov's at the building that housed Kakistos' vampires. The bottle smashed in through one of the windows, bursting at the same time and raining flaming liquid down inside the building.

Grinning he lit the second one and prepared to throw it at the same window before he felt Giles hand on his arm. “Spread your throws, Xander. Our goal is to ensure the building catches fire to force the vampires out of it so Buffy and Faith can destroy them, not to kill a handful but still leave them with shelter until dark.”

Xander nodded in understanding, shifting his aim to the left before letting loose. This time, he put more power into the throw and the bottle shattered on the roof of the building, the sticky black tar that covered it suddenly lighting on fire itself.

“Very good,” Giles said as he lit one of his Molotovs. Pulling his arm back he let loose, the bottle of cheap vodka sailing into the air in a graceful arc before coming down on the roof of the building as well, adding to the growing conflagration. “And do space the timing of your throws once we get it going. No need to give it a chance to go out.”

(***)

Buffy and Faith stood silent and still in the darkness of the sewers. The faint dripping of water falling in its irregular pattern stood out in stark contrast to themselves. Drip. Drip drip. Dr-drip Drip. Like their own metronome that had been thrown badly off rhythm.

Faith was surprised by the number of weapons her Sister Slayer had produced as they set about preparing their ambush. Sun Bombs that were meant to act as a sort of flashbang against vampires, only it was more of a flash-scorch. Holy Water landmines that would douse the undead unlucky enough to step on one with enough of the clear liquid to put him out of commission if not outright turn him to dust. Shaped CO-2 charges that would eject a hail of wooden splinters with enough force to penetrate a vampire's body; even if they didn't end up staked by them the collateral damage from the shrapnel would be catastrophic unless they wore thick clothes.

Buffy had explained as she set up each portion of the ambush that she had not used many of the devices extensively. Each had some small flaw that limited their use in her usual patrols. Here and now, though, they would shine. The vampires had nowhere to run except into the killing field and Buffy didn't have to worry about an innocent stumbling into one of the devices. With the exception of the Holy Water landmines, none of the toys she had brought were exactly harmless to the living. Even the Sun bombs were bright enough when they went off there was the risk of doing permanent damage to a human's eyes if they weren't protected. 

Which was why they were sitting in the dark wearing sunglasses.

“Bout 60 vamp's waiting to be dusted,” Faith said calmly into the darkness.

“We got a full tank of gas,” Buffy responded as she looked down the tunnel that would soon become a fair imitation of a no-man's-land from World War I.

Faith reached into her pocket and pulled out her pack of Marlboro's. With a flick of her wrist, she slid one out and lit it. “We've got half a pack of cigarettes,” she commented and offered the pack to Buffy.

Buffy took the pack and glanced at it for a moment before shrugging. 'What the hell, my tech is trying to kill me anyways. What's the harm,' ran through her mind as she pulled one out and lit it up. 

“And we're in the dark, wearing sunglasses,” she got out before a cough wracked her lungs and she threw the smoke down to the damp tunnel floor.

“It's all good, though,” Faith said as she took a long drag off her smoke. “We're on a mission from God.”

The silence descended over them again. The not so steady dripping of water once again filling the silence. Neither of them spoke, their breath slowing until even it was nary but a whisper against the darkness that surrounded them.

Buffy broke first, a snort followed by a soft giggle. Faith glanced at her sideways without moving her head, just watching out of the corner of her eye as she felt the smile start to play across her lips. Soon both of them were laughing, the giggles of teenage girls floating out to join the ever present dripping of water.

(***)

Willow nervously rubbed her legs as she watched for movement in the rough-hewn stone of the tunnel she was in. Small sparks of electricity danced between her palms and her thighs heightening her awareness of the energy coursing through her body. She had been reluctant to draw in so much after the previous night's misadventure but both Buffy and Oz had convinced her of the necessity. There were no readily available power lines down in the natural tunnels beneath the warehouse so she wouldn't be able to charge up if something went wrong. The only solution was to 'power up' before Annalyse escorted her at super speed into the tunnels.

Holding the charge was itself an exercise in concentration. She could feel the energy dancing around her body wanting to be released. It was almost as if it had a mind of its own and it resented being held still for so long. Willow found herself sharing that sentiment as she quietly waited for the vampires to begin their evacuation from the warehouse above.

“Can we talk?”

The question startled Willow as she whipped around, her hand lashing out in instinctual defense of herself and slamming into the stomach of the speaker. Angel found himself promptly pinned by the redhead's hand against the wall, her other hand poised higher and pointing at his face. Blue sparks of electricity started to dance between her fingertips reminding him of a sci-fi ray gun powering up to shoot until the realization struck her as to whom she had just attacked.

“Sorry,” Willow said with a shy smile, releasing the recently re-ensouled vampire from the wall and lowering her hands to her sides. “You shouldn't sneak up on people,” she told him, her smile turning into a shallow frown.

Rubbing his stomach where she had struck him, Angel nodded his agreement. The blow had come as a surprise to him as did the energy she was manipulating. 'When did she become so proficient with magic,' he wondered as she crouched back down to observe the tunnel.

“So why are you down here alone,” Angel finally asked as he crouched next to her.

The sideways glance she sent him danced between amusement and scorn. Willow finally shrugged and looked back to the tunnel to continue her watch, “Faith and Buffy were needed elsewhere and I'm smart enough not to blow myself up.”

“Blow yourself up?” Angel questioned warily before noticing the cord running from the small box sitting on the ground in front of Willow. Following it, he could just barely make out the shapes of what appeared to be homemade explosives fixed to the walls of an adjoining tunnel. “Okay... I can understand not trusting Xander with this. Why didn't Buffy contact me?”

Willow didn't bother looking at him as she rolled her eyes. Angel had never been brought up throughout the planning stage for their little assault by anyone. Willow couldn't even think of a reason they should have considered him in their plans. He wasn't needed, he was superfluous now that Buffy had started to openly use her technology and Willow's own mutation had manifested. Add in an actual Slayer and a space alien that was more powerful than any three of them in her own right and Angel had become redundant.

“We had it covered,” she finally answered still not looking at him. “Buffy probably thought you still needed time to yourself, too, you know, get used to having a soul again.”

Angel didn't answer, instead maintaining his silence as they waited in the darkness. When he finally spoke again it startled Willow slightly, the redheaded energizer having forgotten he was beside her, “I've been talking to Giles, since... well since Acathla,” he started.

“Okay, talking is good,” Willow answered him as she looked over at him raising an eyebrow. “Is there a reason you are telling me this?”

Angel had the decency to look away from her for a moment as he schooled his features into the calm mask of indifference he constantly wore. “We've been talking about what happened, and what should happen. For the good of everyone.”

Willow looked back to the tunnel, her mind running over what the vampire had said and more importantly what he hadn't said to her. Contrary to popular belief she wasn't that bad at reading people, Moloch incident aside. Her weakness had always been not knowing what to do with what she knew. Social paradigms were not her area of expertise. It was her mother who was the psychologist after all, not her. She had an idea of what he was getting at, though, and she couldn't find it in herself to disagree with what she believed to be his decision.

“You're going to leave, aren't you?” She asked, trying to keep her voice as level as she could. It burned her up inside that he was going to leave, and if his approaching her and talking with Giles was any indication, he had no intentions on telling Buffy until it was too late. “Not even going to tell her, are you? Just pack up and one day, not be there anymore. That is the plan, isn't it?”

Angel kept his face immobile, not betraying an ounce of emotion as Willow questioned him. It was enough of an answer for her. He had no intentions to talk to Buffy. He was going to leave because he couldn't deal with what he had done without his soul. It disgusted Willow to think that someone that claimed to love her best friend would abandon Buffy so easily.

“Probably for the best,” she managed to get out as she turned back to the tunnel, only just keeping her own emotions in check. “Keeps things from being messy. Make a clean break and let her heal. Where are you going to go?”

Angel couldn't help but show his surprise at her advice. Part of him had come to Willow expecting her to talk him out of it. She had cast the spell to re-ensoul him after all. Before Angelus had returned, she had always treated him decently as well. Even right after his soul had been restored she had sat on the couch in the mansion showing no fear or revulsion towards him.

'She's right, though,' he thought. 'Buffy deserves better than me, better than a monster.'

Aloud he answered, “Los Angeles. I know the city, spent some time there a few decades back. I'll be close enough though that...”

“If we need help, we'll call,” Willow finished for him. “Just don't keep being all stalkery like you were in the beginning. If you're going to make a break for it, stay away unless she calls you.”

Angel nodded is agreement and fell back into silence. It was only a few minutes later when they heard the sounds of movement echoing from the tunnel.

Smiling, Willow glanced at Angel with a grin that seemed almost predatory. “Might want to cover your ears,” she told him as she pushed the button on the detonator right as the first vampire made his appearance at the end of the adjoining tunnel.

The vampire, dressed in what looked like throwbacks from the 1970's blinked in surprise seeing both Angel and Willow waiting a fair distance from the exit into the greater tunnel network. He started to smile as he moved towards them. “Oh good, fast foo-,” was all he got out before the detonation rocked the tunnel complex and blew the vampire into tiny pieces and floating dust.

As the tunnel collapsed Willow realized that deep down a small part of her was dancing for joy that Angel was leaving. Another part of her was imagining the shocked vampire that was right in the middle of the explosion that would seal the tunnel was Angel.

“Stupid vampires,” she muttered as she stood and started to make her way back out of the tunnels, Angel not bothering to follow her.

(***)

Faith and Buffy could hear them coming. Only a few moments later they felt the distant rumbling of explosives and knew that Willow had set off the charges. Above them, Giles and Xander would be laying waste to the building while Annalyse ensured the blaze didn't spread. All that was left was for them to meet the coming hordes and take them down.

The first group of vampires spilled into the sewers. Buffy smiled as they landed on her first line of defense. The landmines erupted, spraying their holy water payloads straight into the faces and limbs of the vampires as they dropped down onto them. Faith grinned as she watched the vampires drop to their knees screaming in pain. The first wave was blinded at the very least, if not outright crippled as their legs and arms fell victim to the acid like properties holy water exhibited when it made contact with vampiric skin.

“Eight down, shit load more to go,” Faith chirped as she observed the writing bodies of the vamps.

“Time for round two,” Buffy noted with an equally cheery demeanor. As the next group of vampires dropped down into the sewer they stumbled over the bodies of their fellow undead. Several of the new arrivals set off the last of the holy water landmines. Buffy then set off the next trap manually.

The sun bombs where a particularly effective if unwieldy weapon against the undead. Her hand grenade size version that she carried on patrols was strong enough to stun a vampire and blind them for a few moments, usually long enough to dispatch several of the bloodsuckers before they recovered. These, however, were nearly three times the size and nine times the weight. They weren't useful for standard patrols, their sheer size limiting their use in the field. Here, however, where an ambush had been set, Buffy got to unleash their full and deadly potential.

Still not powerful enough to cause instant dusting, they were powerful enough to set vampires on fire while posing no risk to a human who had their eyes protected against the brilliant flash. The sunglasses that she and Faith wore had been specially designed for just that purpose, the lenses darkening almost instantly to a level that would protect against an arc welder's flash.

Over twenty vampires were burning from the acidic touch of holy water or burning in a more literal sense as the bombs went off. The screams from the undead monsters not moving the two teens in the slightest as they watched. If anything it brought a smile to the lips of the two warriors against the darkness as their enemies met their final end in flames.

It took several minutes before the next wave of vampires arrived, the sounds of their comrades screaming in agony having put them off going down into the sewers not knowing what was waiting for them. In the end, the sure knowledge of destruction as the warehouse burned around them versus the unknown quantity in the sewers drove them like rats escaping a sinking ship. As they arrived they found what few remained of the first two groups to enter the sewers, still alive and writhing in pain. Anger flashed across the faces of each of them. Turning to find the Slayer they knew and the new dark-haired Slayer they growled and surged forward.

Buffy smiled as they stepped into ambush number three and the kill zone her shaped charges had made. Setting them off, she dropped the remote that had let her control her traps and watched as the CO2 explosives detonated. Wooden shrapnel launched out across the tunnel from every conceivable direction creating a kill zone that caught nearly all of the remaining vampires in the tunnel. Several turned to dust as the wood found their hearts. Others were cut down and dropped to the floor screaming as limbs and flesh were rent and torn by the thousands of splinters that were flying through the air. Only a few escaped relatively unscathed, those that had a fetish for leather which protected their vulnerable limbs and covered their chest.

As the last of the CO2 traps fired off, Faith drew out a pair of daggers, a feral grin forming on her lips. “Looks like we still have some takers, B,” she said to her fellow combatant.

Buffy nodded, unlatching one of her lightsabers from her belt and activating it, it's snap-hiss echoing through the tunnel. “Yep, guess we get to have some fun with them, Fay.”

The largest of the vampires shook himself, letting the wooden splinters that had embedded themselves in his leather jacket fall to the ground around him. He looked around at the fallen undead, the piles of ashes that weren't there before, and snarled. “You will pay for daring to attack Lord Kakistos' army, worms. We will suck you dry and deliver your corpses to his feet.”

Grinning, Buffy counted the remaining vampires and shrugged, “Eight of you, two of us. For some reason, I feel like this isn't fair.”

“I know,” Faith added in as she spun her daggers in her hands, “Should we wait for them to get a hold of their union rep to complain, B?”

The vampire roared in response, “Kill them both! For Lord Kakistos and the new order!”

“Guess not,” Buffy chirped with a smile as she began the dance she had become so intimate with over the last few years.

(***)

It happened faster than a human could blink. The walls of the warehouse crashed outwards, a shower of rebar, concrete, and wood flying outward towards Giles and Xander where they had stood watching the blaze. The black van, it's windows tinted so dark that the vampires inside where safe from the deadly rays of the sun blasted its way towards freedom. Xander saw it moving towards Giles and him and did the only thing he could think of. He grabbed Giles and flung the Watcher away from where they stood and out of the path of the van.

The black metallic death mobile clipped him, though. Sending him spinning to the ground, Xander groaned as the pain ratcheted through his body. He looked over to Giles and a further groan escaped his lips. He had prevented the Watcher from being hit dead on by the van which surely would have killed him. However, Giles had stumbled as he was so abruptly thrown out of the way, landing hard on his back and cracking his head on one of the parking lot dividers. The Watcher turned librarian was soundly unconscious, a trickle of crimson flowing down onto the dirty pavement beneath him.

Annalyse flew down, landing next to Giles. Quickly her fingers felt for a pulse and she breathed a sigh of relief as she turned to where Xander was slowly picking himself back off the ground. “He's alive,” she told him with a quick nod.

“Good, go get those sons-of-bitches,” Xander ground out as he stumbled over to where Giles lay. “I've got him, just don't let any of them escape.”

Annalyse hesitated for a moment, obviously torn between ensuring Giles was safe and taking off after the vampires who had escaped. “Go!” Xander shouted at her. “Kakistos could be in that van for all we know. Then none of this will matter anyway!”

Annalyse finally nodded grudgingly and took to the air. The sonic boom that followed less than a second later shook the surrounding buildings as glass shattered, leaving the windows empty holes. She quickly caught up to the van which had already turned out onto one of the main streets. She grimaced seeing this as it was the beginning of rush hour for Sunnydale and now the van was surrounded by civilian vehicles on all sides. She could easily disable the van, likely without causing any damage to those around it. She couldn't do it without revealing herself, though.

Resigned to follow the van until it was finally secluded from the prying eyes of the humans, she let her ring fade her into invisibility and flew on, slowing to match the speed of the black van that had nearly cost them the lives of two of their own.

(***)

Xander grunted as he lifted Giles up onto his shoulders in a fireman's carry. The older, taller man was simply too much for him to carry in a bridal carry and was nearly almost too much for him even in the fireman's position. It was a reminder for him that despite being in better shape than most teens his age it was not enough. His fitness was determined by running, not weight training or even proper exercise. It had served him for the last two years, yet for the first time, he found himself wishing he had put effort into being fit rather than simply trusting in his natural inclination and time spent patrolling with Buffy and Willow.

'”You owe me, Giles,” he muttered as he started to stagger away from the burning wreckage that was the warehouse.

“Leaving already, cattle?” The new voice was dark and filled with loathing. Xander could feel his skin crawl with it as it washed over him. A look back had the teen gulping as he set eyes on the vampire that stood in the flaming arch where the van had blasted through.

“Not like you can do anything about it but burn, bloodsucker,” he called out with a grin. He looked up at the sun with relish, taking his strength from the knowledge that the vampire was trapped between a burning building and the burning sun.

“Really,” the vampire called out, lifting one clawed hand to his chin, “You think that the sun is a threat to the might of Kakistos?”

Giles groaned out as he hit the pavement for the second time in less than ten minutes. Xander dropped him where he stood as the vampire took a step out, his clawed hand leading, and put one cloven foot forward into the sun...

And didn't burn.

(***)

Faith ducked under a kick and spun to catch a punch coming from the opposite side. She twisted the arm and stepped back behind the vampire it was attached to, the sound of its dead muscles straining against the pressure as she dislocated his shoulder. Not letting the now howling vampire recover, she slammed her stake into his heart from behind, pulling it back as the telltale cloud of dust sprung into existence in his place.

“Two,” she called out cheerily as she moved to block another punch-kick combo thrown at her by the vampires she was facing off against.

“Three,” Buffy called out in response as her light saber quickly removed the head of one vampire. She spun under a kick to her head, leading with the glowing blade and removed the offending limb. Rising, she kicked out slamming the vampire into one of the drainage pipes that lead from the surface to the wider sewer tunnels, his head promptly becoming skewered by it.

Not pausing, Buffy ran forward, a flying jump kick leading her to slam into the impaled vampire just above his sternum, the laws of physics and a rusty metal pipe completing her job as his head ripped from his body causing him to turn to dust. “Four,” she chirped as she kicked off the sewer wall and flipped backward only to land in the flowing water of the sewer.

Faith grinned as she kicked out knocking the vampire in front of her backward and into her companion. She spun, her arm whipping out with the momentum, and with a flick, her stake flew from her grasp. It slammed home in the heart of the first vampire but did not slow. Penetrating through and out the back of the first it lodged itself in the heart of the second vampire, both promptly turning to dust and taking her stake with them.

“Three, and four,” Faith announced as she turned and saw a dripping wet Buffy. Faith snorted, covering her mouth to try and stop herself from laughing at the other girl unsuccessfully. “Two for one and I didn't even get wet,” she finally got out between chuckles.

“Argh! This so isn't fair!” Buffy screeched. “I just bought these boots and now they are ruined!”

Faith rolled her eyes at her fellow warrior then looked around, her playful mood falling away. “B, we gotta problem here. Notice anything missing?”

Buffy drug herself out of the water and back up onto the dry portion of the sewer tunnel and looked around. Quickly she frowned and glanced over to Faith. “No Kakistos.” Sighing Buffy looked to the exit into the sewers from the factory and scrunched up her nose. Even from here they could hear the sounds of the blaze above them that was consuming the vampires former sanctuary. “Either he decided he was immune to fire or he wasn't here Faith. Willow would have gotten the other passage blocked off and it's not like he had anywhere else to go.”

Faith reluctantly nodded. The warehouse was collapsing and it was daylight out. The only other exit had been blocked off. Buffy was right if he hadn't shown he was either dust or not here. “Alright, let's get these gimps finished off then we can get outta here,” Faith said as she withdrew her spare stake from inside her jacket.

“Good plan, I so need a shower.”

(***)

Xander was frozen. The vampire had stepped out into the sunlight with a fierce grin. 'How,' his mind gibbered, 'how is that possible. Vampires turn to dust in sunlight. They don't just walk around in it!'

“Little cattle, so frozen in fear. Why do you not scream for me? I so love the screams,” the day walking vampire said with a sneer.

Xander felt his mind begin to race as he looked around himself. He could run, but that would mean leaving Giles behind to be food for the bloodsucker. He could scream, Annalyse would hear him and come running. That would mean she would most likely have to let the vamps she was chasing to get away. If she had already dealt with them she would be back by now. He had no idea how long Buffy, Faith, and Willow would take to get to him so that left them out of any bright ideas he had to save himself and Giles from this mess.

'Just had to taunt Murphy, didn't I,' he lamented in private. 'Okay, buy time, someone will get here. Just gotta keep faith.'

“Screams? Well if you want screams, I'd suggest a mirror. You'd be able to produce your own then,” Xander quipped with a forced smile that held more nervous tension than he wanted to admit to.

“You ridicule the might that is Kakistos, cattle?” The vampire questioned as it continued to move towards Xander and Giles. “I think you need to learn your place.”

Reaching beneath his jacket, Xander withdrew the wooden cross he carried giving the vampire a defiant glance, “Yea, well I figure my place is right here, between you and anyone else. So just go on back into the burning building, bloodsucker.”

The vampire suddenly moved, quick enough that Xander couldn't keep up. One moment he was at least 30 feet away, the next he was right in Xander's face. One clawed hand lashed out slapping the cross away and Xander screamed as he felt every bone in that hand break. 

“You do not stand between my kind and anything, cattle. Your little trinkets have no power over the glory that is Kakistos. Now beg for your life while I drain it from you.”

 

Xander stifled the scream that had ripped from his throat, forcing the tears that wanted to form in his eyes from the pain to still themselves. “Never gonna happen, bloodsucker. Sides, touch me and the Slayers will hunt you for eternity until you are dust.”

The vampire laughed as it reached out, balling it's clawed fist into the front of his shirt and lifted Xander into the air, “Your little females can do nothing to me now. The ritual is complete, the might of Kakistos will destroy you little boy.”

Swallowing down his fear, Xander carefully dug into a pocket with his good hand, trying not to alert the vampire holding him to his movements. “I think you might need a refund. I mean, a good ritual should have at least made you good looking, right? And the smell, seriously, take a bath!”

With a shout, he pulled his hand free from his pocket and slammed three vials of holy water with their fragile glass containers into the chest of the vampire. The blessed liquid splashed out, burning like acid against the undead creatures skin. Howling in rage he flung Xander through the air and into the wall of one of the nearby buildings. Xander felt his head slam against the metal outer shell hard, his vision blurring.

As the darkness of unconsciousness fought to claim him, Xander swore he saw flames erupt from the vampires chest where he had broken the vials of holy water against the vampire. 'Huh, never seen holy water do that before,' were his last thoughts as the darkness claimed him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> See Beaten Blue for a Xander-Centric tale that is a continuation of this Universe and serves as a bridge between chapter 15 and 16 of Lost and Discovered.


	16. ...Survives Contact With the Enemy

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please note that Chapter 1 of Beaten Blue occurs directly prior to this chapter. If you have not yet read it, you might wish to. Beaten Blue will continue after the conclusion of Lost and Discovered.

Chapter 16: ...Survives Contact With the Enemy

 

The Bronze was the go-to place to hang out in Sunnydale. Everyone that was anyone could be seen there. If you were to ask them, not a single one of the 'elite' of Sunnydale, college or high school, would dare to be caught dead anywhere else. The fact that it was and remained the only place large groups of people could gather and hang out was ignored by most of those very people.

 

Still, there was music, dancing, pool, food, and drinks of both the alcoholic and virgin varieties for the masses to partake in. Couches and tables alike provided seating to comfortably rest between trips to the dance floor. A stage stood vigil over the throng, used by both bands and locals during karaoke night.

 

Currently, the stage was occupied by one of the local bands. Their music pulsed through the air and out to the crowd on the floor. The multitude moved like a singular entity, bumping and grinding against one another in time to the music's pounding beat. Some of the mob had detached from their fellows and were strung out among the pool tables, sending the pool balls to their ultimate fate of falling down into darkened pockets for the enjoyment of the masses.

 

The atmosphere was light, energetic, and completely negligent of the overwhelming danger that lurked in the Sunnydale nights. The revelers, mostly oblivious to the dangers of their hometown, passed their night as they did every other.

 

Only four of the many exhibited any awareness of what life was truly like in Sunnydale and even their own reactions varied from one another. Buffy sat quietly watching the crowd as it moved and twisted around itself, her eyes never staying in one place long as she searched for some sign of activity that could place her fellow humans in danger. Willow stared into the depths of her glass filled with dark syrupy liquid as if it held the secrets to the universe, or at least the secret of how to deal with the fear she felt running through her soul. Annalyse ate a slice of pizza, her mind a million miles away; or rather a handful of miles, back to the fight that had nearly cost them one of their own, and her own judgments that had helped such a thing to happen. Only Faith seemed relaxed, the Jack and Coke she had procured from the bartender through skills learned what seemed a lifetime ago as a street kid in Boston in one hand while the other dipped into the basket of chili cheese fries she had ordered.

 

There were others that should be with them and their absence was felt by each of them acutely, whether they showed it or not. Giles and Xander, both battered and beaten after their encounter with a van and a vampire that did not dust in sunlight respectively, were in the hospital healing from their battle wounds. They had heard the story from Oz shortly after they had left Xander's room, already having berated him for putting his life at risk. The werewolf was the only one who could bring themselves to be around the two hospitalized Scoobies without fear of either breaking down in tears, as Buffy had done, or saying something that could not be unsaid as Willow had nearly done. Cordelia had likewise chosen to stay at her boyfriend's side after chewing each of them out for letting him become injured.

 

"So who's going to start talking," Faith finally said, her chocolate colored eyes dancing from person to person at their table.

 

The reaction was almost instantaneous. Buffy's body stiffened as if she had been slapped. Willow's eyes closed as she choked back a sob that tried to escape. Annalyse snapped back to the moment with a look so guilty one would have thought she had committed patricide.

 

"Look, I get it. Toyboy is special. To you two in particular," Faith pushed on with a nod at Willow and Buffy. "No one wants to see him hurt. Wrapping him up in bubble wrap ain't gonna keep that from happenin', though."

 

Buffy's eyes snapped to Faith's with a glare that once upon a time had sent nerds and freaks running back at Hemery High in L.A. "What the hell would you know about it?" She demanded.

 

"What would I know about it? Shit, B, where the hell do you think I grew up? Boston ain't a nice place and that's if you got money. Me and mine, we didn't have money," Faith told her, matching the other girls stare. "I've seen what happens when you try an' keep the world away from someone. Sooner or later, the world reaches out and swallows 'em cuz they don't know no better. Just shoving Toyboy away ain't gonna make that any less true."

 

"But we aren't talking about the world, Faith," Willow said with a quaver to in her voice. "We're talking about vampires. Xander keeps trying to act like he knows what he's doing and throwing himself in danger when he shouldn't."

 

"Seems like Toyboy knows fine what he's doing," Faith said eliciting shocked looks from both Buffy and Willow. "Ain't saying he's the sharpest tool in the shed, but if what Oz was tell'n us is right, he took down Kakistos. I'm tellin you right now, that was one mean sum bitch right there and if he took that old ass bastard down, he's gotta know what he's doin' ta some degree, yeah?"

 

"No one is disputing his knowledge of his chosen prey," Annalyse answered, finally breaking into the conversation. "What they, and admittedly myself as well, are having problems with is his inability to realize when he is in over his head and seek out assistance. There was no reason for him to face a Master Vampire the age of Kakistos alone with nothing but a stake and some holy water. He knew all he had to do was scream and I'd have been there before Kakistos could have done anything to him."

 

Faith shrugged her shoulders as if the observation didn't matter and raised an eyebrow, "So now we're supposed to question the decisions of the person there? Yo, I may not like cops but I know enough that they don't question one of their own's decisions like that unless something seriously fucked up happens. It's about trust, an if you all don't trust Toyboy, how the hell are any of us supposed to trust each other?"

 

"Because this isn't the first time, Faith," Willow said trying to calm herself down. "Every time we turn around Xander is getting himself in trouble. Insane French teachers, Incan Mummy girls, you name it. Xander's a freaking demon magnet when he's with us."

 

"And how many of those times would keeping him out of the fight have actually saved him?" Faith wondered out loud. "Way I see it, being in the fight with you two has saved his ass more times than not. Am I right or am I wrong, Red?"

 

Willow made as if to argue but Buffy put one hand on her upper arm causing the red head to hold her tongue. Instead Buffy answered, "You're right. Xander knowing what is out there has saved him. We're not talking about cutting him out of the loop entirely here, Faith. Trust me, I wish I could make it so not knowing would protect my friends. If that was enough, maybe my mom wouldn't hate me right now." Buffy stopped and took a moment to collect herself with a deep breath before continuing. "We're talking about being out there in the streets fighting, not being left in the dark. The four of us? We're all tougher than Xander is. Hell, I'd wager that even Willow here could beat him up in a straight fight, Faith."

 

Faith looked frustrated and blew out her breath as she leaned back against her seat, "Well, when you put it that way, yeah I can get it. Still, I don't see Toyboy sitting by the wayside while his girls go out and fight. And don't think for a moment he doesn't see you two as his girls," she said as both Willow and Buffy turned beet red in embarrassment and looked about ready to deny her claim. "Just means we gotta get him toughened up. Hell, Tweed's had trainin', why hasn't he taught X?"

 

"That too is something I've been wondering," Annalyse added. "You said your Watcher had training and Xander has been working with you for over a year now. Why has he not learned to fight from Giles?"

 

Willow turned to look at Buffy with a look of curiosity on her face as if the thought had never occurred to her. Buffy felt like squirming under the suddenly focused attention of her three friends but kept herself calm. "Simple, he hasn't wanted too. Xander that is, not Giles. We've both tried to get him involved in my training but he always has an excuse not to." Turning to Willow she said, "You've been there and seen the times Giles asked Xander to take his place when the two of us were sparring. Giles was trying to give Xander a chance to train."

 

Willow nodded in understanding, "Yeah, I always thought that was kinda odd since Giles never seemed that tired when he asked. But you're right. Xander always said he was too busy doing something. Usually research or homework, but a few times he even said he was too busy reading a comic book."

 

"Either of you ever think X didn't realize what Tweed was offerin' him?" Faith asked the obvious. "Not like he said, 'Xander, come here and learn the best way to throw a Slayer on her arse,' is it?"

 

"Well... shit...," Willow said surprising the others with her use of profanity. "Buffy, Faith is right. I love Xander, but he's not exactly... well that is he's.... sort of..."

 

"Dense? And likely didn't see the offer as anything more than Giles wanting him to do more work for no gain," Buffy finished with a shake of her head. "I thought about that back at Giles' but didn't think Xander was that oblivious."

 

"He can be," Willow agreed.

 

The four of them lapsed into silence as the music continued to pour over them. When the band broke to take a breather Annalyse brought the conversation up again, "Well, oblivious or not to the training offered, the fact remains that Xander can't be left untrained and still allowed to go out and fight with us." Receiving unanimous nods of agreement she continued, "And since I pretty much called him an idiot I should be the one to offer to train him."

 

"You," Buffy said with mild disbelief. "No offense, but shouldn't Faith or I train him? Not trying to be all insulty or anything, but we are the two best martial artists of our little group."

 

Faith chuckled as she threw in her own two cents, "Keep dreamin' B. If it wasn't for those toys you got from Stark you wouldn't hold a candle to me."

 

Buffy raised an eyebrow about to retaliate when Annalyse cut her off, "Level of skill or not, Buffy you are already training Willow if I'm not mistaken. And while you are undoubtedly skilled, Faith, have you ever taught anyone else how to fight?" When the two had acknowledged the truth of what she had said she continued on. "Back home we had a lot of people like the four of us. Some had been doing the hero schtick for decades. Anyone joining up had to be trained and then, in turn, train someone else. It wasn't the best system, but with the war we were fighting it at least worked."

 

"So you've had to teach someone already," Willow concluded from Annalyse's explanation.

 

"Yes, I have. I may have been rated as shit all for actually leading a group into a fight, but training wise I did pretty well," Annalyse admitted.

 

"So Project: Make X a Badass is a go?" Faith asked. "No more tryn' ta bubble wrap the Toyboy?" When Buffy and Willow nodded their agreements Faith smiled, "Good, now stop bein' such sour pusses you three. Kakistos is dead, may he rot in Jersey. It's time ta party!"

 

The four girls shared a smile and a laugh as they tried to push aside their worries for their friends and celebrate one more victory. Everyone was alive and evil had been burnt to the ground, literally. It was one more day that the pulsing throng of bodies on the dance floor of the Bronze could go on believing that if you weren't at the Bronze, you weren't anywhere.

 

(***)

 

The Mayor looked up from the latest satisfaction surveys he had received from his publicist. He had been quite happy to find out that 87% of his constituents felt that he was doing a fantastic to amazing job as Mayor. Only 3% of voters felt he was doing a bad to middling job as the leader of Sunnydale. Oh sure, he knew that 3% was an amazingly small number but he still wanted to find a way to satisfy all the people living in his town. It was why he was Mayor, after all, and why his 9pm meeting was just now walking into his office.

 

"Ah, Mr. Trick, good to see you," Mayor Wilkens said with a smile as he stood and offered his hand to the vampire. "Would you like something to drink? I believe we have some virgin AB negative available if that is to your taste."

 

Mr. Trick shook the Mayor's hand and returned the smile as he shook his hand, "That is quite all right, Mr. Mayor. I just finished dinner, a lovely kosher couple. Made the blood taste rather minty and fresh despite their age."

 

"Good, good," the Mayor said as he took his seat again. "Please, take a seat. I'm glad to hear my town is treating it's guests properly. I'm sad to say though that the same cannot be said for your employer."

 

Seeing the Mayor's sincere apology written in his features, the vampire known as Mr. Trick could only chuckle slightly to himself as he asked aloud, "Oh, have you heard something about my most esteemed Master?"

 

Nodding, the Mayor frowned slightly, "Yes, it seems that Kakistos miscalculated the wisdom of putting all his eggs in one basket. Or rather one warehouse. The Slayer and those allied with her burnt the place to the ground. Not a single undead individual made it out of that inferno with their life, and not for lack of trying, let me tell you."

 

"Oh?" Mr. Trick asked with a small smile. "I wouldn't be too concerned about them, Mayor Wilkens. Simply canon fodder that was too stupid to think for themselves."

 

The Mayor snorted slightly, "Perhaps, Mr. Trick. But still, your former employer's actions have put a small dent in my available resources. There really was no need to present the Slayer with such a tempting target, was there?" He said matter of fact.

 

"I don't know about that," Mr. Trick replied. "A magician never reveals all of their secrets, now do they, Mr. Mayor?"

 

(***)

 

The night hung over them like a shroud, the dim light of the half moon bathing the city below in its gentle glow. They had split up after leaving the Bronze. Faith had gone with Annalyse to do a quick patrol on their way back to Annalyse's house while Buffy and Willow headed back to Giles' apartment since Buffy didn't want either of them to be alone tonight.

 

"So, do you think Annalyse can do it," Willow asked her companion as they turned down the street Giles' apartment was on. At Buffy's confused glance towards her, Willow expounded on her thought, "Train Xander, I mean. Do you really think she can train him enough to take on vamps with us?"

 

Buffy shrugged her shoulders slightly, "From what she's told us of where she came from there were several normal people that fought alongside her and her friends and against them. This Bat-person she talks about and her dad are two of them. At the least, she might be able to convince him to let Giles train him."

 

Willow nodded for a moment then frowned, "Giles training someone that isn't the Slayer," she blushed giving Buffy an embarrassed look, "Or well... that isn't you, I mean. Since you know... not a Slayer, but still Slaying. Does that mean you are a Slayer? If so, does that mean I'm a Slayer because I'm out helping with the slaying now and being all electro-girl? But then what is the point in calling Faith the Slayer if all it takes is slaying vampires? It wouldn't seem..."

 

Buffy looked on with a blank stare as Willow slipped into babble then started to smile and finally giggle as she reached out, pressing two fingers to her redheaded friend's lips to silence her. "Willow, calm down," she managed to get out between giggles. "Over thinking much, ya think? Or not, since you're over thinking it. No, we aren't Slayers, but we have been and will keep doing the hunting thing. Even with the actual Slayer here, I think you guys showed me how much being alone in this thing would suck."

 

Willow nodded and took a breath, "Then we need to tell them the truth, you know that don't you?"

 

Buffy looked up at the sky and contemplated the situation for a few minutes, "I know, and if it was just Annalyse, no big. But Faith is the Slayer. I don't think she has any love lost for the council, but until we can be sure..."

 

"You don't want to risk her ratting us out. I get it, Buffy. I do. I just think that it would be better if she heard it from us rather than figured it out on her own," Willow told her.

 

"Yeah, you're probably... no, you ARE right about that. I just... I've kept this secret for so long. I didn't even tell you guys about it until things kinda forced the issue."

 

Willow nodded in understanding, "Yeah, I get it.

 

Their conversation fell off as they neared the apartment building, Buffy reaching into her pocket to find the key Giles had given her for their shared domicile. Her search was halted when she felt Willow place a hand on her arm, gripping it tightly. Looking up she found three figures blocking their path. A quick glance back revealed a fourth.

 

Buffy silently cursed herself for not paying better attention. That four vampires - they could be nothing else with the deformed claws and hooves they sported just like Kakistos that Xander had supposedly dusted during their raid on the vampire warehouse - had managed to sneak up on her and Willow was embarrassing. That they all showed the same deformities that Annalyse and Willow had described and accredited to Kakistos was worrisome at the least.

 

"Slayer," the middle vampire said with a grin.

 

"Slayee," Buffy responded, sliding back into a fighting stance and making to take out the hidden lightsaber she kept at her back as she used to do with stakes.

 

The vampire held up his hands in a placating fashion, still grinning broadly, "Now now, none of that, Slayer. We aren't here to fight you and your little witch. Just here to deliver a message and escort you to our Master."

 

Willow reached out with her other senses and grasped onto the electricity flowing through the power lines, willing it into herself, "And what makes you think we'd go anywhere with you, dust bunny?"

 

Buffy snorted and nodded in agreement, "She's got a point. I figure we can make you fit for a vacuum and still have time to order a pizza before Dominos closes."

 

The vampire that had spoke motioned to the one on his right. He stepped forward, one clawed hand out. Buffy was about to ignite her blade and remove the hand when she noticed something grasped in it. Trusting in Willow to cover her she stepped forward and snatched what the vampire had been holding away from him. One look was enough that had she been a Jedi from the movies she would have fallen to the darkside then and there.

 

"Where?" Was all Buffy was able to force passed clenched teeth.

 

"With our Master Kakistos, Slayer. He would like to invite you for a nightcap," the vampire said, still maintaining his grin. "Or should we offer him your apologies that you could not visit?" He offered with false sincerity.

 

"No, we'll come. Lead the way."

 

Shocked to the core that Buffy was capitulating to the vampires, Willow shot her a questioning glance. Buffy looked at her, the rage trembling through her body less obvious than the fear in her eyes.

 

"They have Mom."

 

(***)

 

The walk home had been a silent one, both Faith and Annalyse lost in their respective thoughts. Their minds each mulled over subjects that ranged from inconsequential to matters near and dear to their own hearts. One of those that was rapidly coming to find its place in their lives was Xander and the history of the man that Buffy and Willow had shared with them.

 

No one with any sense in their heads could deny the boy's bravery and courage. It was often the idiotic sort of bravery that one found in those that held onto something so dear that they knew without a doubt they would make it through a situation regardless of the odds or obvious facts that would refute such an assumption. He held an unwavering belief that Buffy would always win and that he would always be there by her side.

 

Faith had seen that sort of near blind hope in others before. Back home in Boston, it had been a kid she knew named Tommy. No matter how much crap life threw out at him he had faith in humanity and, well, in Faith herself. She had lost track of the number of times she had saved his ass from one thing or another. Muggings, homophobics searching for a target, and eventually even vampires. All of them had been drawn to Tommy and his guileless and kind nature had led him into their arms again and again. Faith was a bit terrified at the thought of Xander ending up like the only person she had ever called a friend. Alone, bleeding out in an alleyway while Faith was too far away to save him.

 

Annalyse for her part had similar fears. She had lost one team member back home from being under trained. The worst part of it was, Annalyse had known it and had done nothing about it, said nothing about it, because she was too close to him. She was scared she would offend him and run off one of the only people that had given her a chance since she had shown up on the Watch Tower, fresh from leaving her father slack-jawed at the decision to join the Justice League. No one had wanted to give the daughter of Lex Luthor the benefit of the doubt at first. If it hadn't been for the Bat, no one would have spoken up for her. Not even her self-righteous cousin had seen fit to do so at first.

 

That was not her only fear, though. She was a Star Sapphire, a defender of love, no matter how corny it sounded. That title and responsibility came with its own set of problems, or benefits depending on the situation. Annalyse had told Giles that Buffy was suitable to be recruited into the Star Sapphires because of her capacity for great love and for how she had lost it as well due to the events that led to the opening of the portal that brought her to this dimension. She had even explained how she had forbidden her ring from recruiting Buffy.

 

What she had not explained was that under the right circumstances, she would have no choice in the matter herself. If Xander were to die in this fight against the dark the emotional outcry that would result would force her ring into recruiting Buffy. What terrified her, even more, was that the blonde wouldn't be the only one taken by the power of the ring. And a broken heart could do terrible things all in the name of love. It was something that every Star Sapphire had to learn to fight against because it rested in each of them.

 

Annalyse was snapped out of her thoughts when she heard a cough. It was too quiet for any human, even a Slayer, to hear but it was there. They were a mere 10 paces from the walk that led up to her house when she heard it. Being so close to home after such a quiet evening sent her straight over the edge from concerned to properly paranoid.

 

Without thinking, she reached out and took Faith's hand in her own, spinning the brunette around to face her as she pulled her into a light embrace. The Slayer was a touch taller than she was causing her to look up into Faith's eyes as she leaned in close to the other girl. If it hadn't been for that noise it would had been almost romantic.

 

"Wha... woah... Yo, A' didn't know you were thinking like that," Faith said trying to cover her shock. "Not that I'm exactly mindin' but I didn't think you moved me in for this."

 

Annalyse wanted to sigh in exasperation but instead focused on Faith's eyes before carefully, without moving her head, looked to the left and the right with slow purpose. Faith thankfully caught the movement and raised an eyebrow as Annalyse tapped her fingers against Faith's left hand twice and once against the right.

 

Understanding blossomed in Faith's eyes causing Annalyse to smile. Faith leaned in, resting her head on the shorter girl's shoulder as if to nuzzle in against her and carefully whispered, "I'll take the loner, you get the pair."

 

Annalyse nodded against her, wrapping her arms around her as if to hug her when the world exploded around them.

 

The bomb, Annalyse was certain that is what it was, had gone off inside her house. Either it had gone off prematurely due to bad timing or someone had gotten antsy that the two had stopped on the sidewalk to talk instead of heading inside. Shrapnel shot outwards in all directions raining wooden and steel terror upon the vegetation of the neighborhood. Even though the half-Kryptonian Annalyse would have been proof against the flying pieces of her house that had been turned deadly, only the shimmering pink bubble she had erected around herself and Faith had kept the Slayer safe from the carnage.

 

"What the fuck!" Faith shouted. "I hadn't even had a chance ta' unpack!"

 

"Not now Faith, take the one, I have the pair," Annalyse growled out as she dropped the bubble shield and suddenly vanished from sight.

 

Annalyse moved with the speed of a Kryptonian on a mission, her feet barely brushing the ground as she sprinted in the direction she heard the two vampires. As she broke through a line of trees they had been hiding behind she found them. Nearly seven feet tall with deformed hands that looked like three fingered claws and hooved feet. One of them was holding what looked like a detonation remote clumsily in one clawed hand.

 

"So I have you to thank for losing my home," Annalyse snarled at the two.

 

"You'll lose more than that, witch," the one holding the detonator answered as he dropped the device. "Kakistos only wants the Slayer alive. He said we could feast on your blood to our hearts content."

 

Annalyse raised an eyebrow then shrugged. "Bored," she stated flatly then _moved_.

 

The vampires didn't see it coming. Annalyse had never let her full power out for fear of revealing too much of herself. Now she was pissed and more than slightly concerned. If they had laid a trap for Faith and herself they likely had done the same for Buffy and Willow. While she trusted them to be able to handle themselves, she wouldn't take the chance.

 

The first vampire found his face ejected out the back of his skull as Annalyse punched him with her full strength. The bone didn't so much as shatter as powder beneath her faster than sound strike. The second vampire felt his spine separate as Annalyse whirled to the side lashing out with a backhand strike to its stomach. The hit tore through undead flesh and ripped him in two.

 

Annalyse formed her energy blade from her ring and neatly removed the vampire's head. The threat eliminated she smiled down at the dust that used to be the undead creature. Taking to the air, not bothering to hide herself, she quickly scanned the streets and found Faith facing off against the last of the would-be assassins.

 

She had just ducked under one blow and moved in to land several punches of her own on the vampires stomach before letting rip with an uppercut that would have sent a common vampire ass over end. The superior mass and strength of Kakistos' empowered followers kept him on his feet, though, much to the chagrin of Faith. The vampire lashed out, catching Faith across the jaw and sending her flying into a car parked on the street.

 

Annalyse started to move in to finish the vampire herself when Faith popped back up to her feet and smiled, looking directly at Annalyse. "Yo, I got this. If you didn't have enough fun with your two, too damn bad. This one's mine," she called out with a maniacal spark in her eyes.

 

Faith rushed in with a reckless abandon that Annalyse had never before seen. She landed a flying spin kick against the vampires head disorienting it before dropping low to slam both of her fists into its kneecap, forcing the joint to bend backward and collapse under the weight of the vampire.

 

Down but not yet finished, the vampire lashed out with his good leg, catching Faith in the side as she tried to jump away. She rolled backward with the blow groaning as she felt a few of her ribs break and came back up on her feet, drawing a knife out from under her jacket. "So not cool, dustball," she muttered as she neared the downed vampire.

 

"Even if you defeat us, our Master Kakistos will feast on the blood of your sister Slayer," the vampire ground out as he tried to relocate his knee so the shattered kneecap could knit back together well enough to stand on.

 

The utterance of Kakistos' name stopped Faith in her tracks. Annalyse watched her start to shake from her head down to her toes as she growled out, "Kakistos is dust, idiot. Done in by a normal human boy."

 

The vampire laughed, "Is that what you think, little Slayer? No, Kakistos lives, and will always live. And once he has Slayer blood, he will be a god over you pathetic mortal weaklings," he announced as he lifted himself back to his feet. "Already my brothers have gone to take the blonde Slayer and the redheaded Witch to be our master's feast. They will come to him without a fight for they know their place as cattle."

 

"Fuck that," Faith replied, dropping a stake into her hand from the sleeve of her coat and throwing it at the vampire. It pierced his chest where the vampires heart lay, picture perfect, but only penetrated an inch at best despite the Slayer strength behind the throw.

 

"Looks like you need a bigger stake, Slayer," the vampire answered with a mocking laugh.

 

Without warning a glowing pink mallet slammed into the vampire's chest, driving the wooden stake home as if it were a railroad spike in the early days of the rail lines. The shock that overtook the vampires face was comical in the extreme, his master having promised him immunity from the accursed slivers of wood that had fallen so many of their kind.

 

As the vampire turned to dust Faith simply smiled, "Or a big ass hammer." Then she turned to Annalyse and frowned, "But don't think that gets you off for stealing my kill!"

 

Annalyse landed next to Faith and rolled her eyes, "Yes, because you didn't suffer broken ribs from that last kick, Faith," she muttered with a glare to the Slayer.

 

Faith shrugged causing a slight grimace to form on her lips, "Eh, I've had worse. Sides, I think we got more important things to deal with here, A'."

 

Annalyse nodded, "Indeed, these… _things_ ," she spat out with distaste, "look like the vampire that Xander described and similar to Kakistos' appearance."

 

Faith nodded, her grimace growing more pronounced, "Which means Xander only thought he got Kakistos. Damn it, I knew it was too good ta be true that X got the bastard," she growled out.

 

Annalyse lay a comforting hand on Faith's shoulder and met her eyes with a hard look meant to be assuring, "We will kill him tonight, Faith. First we have to find Buffy and Willow."

 

"Yeah... I don't doubt Buffy could handle one of these knock offs, but more than that at a time and it might be a bit much. Son of a bitch could hit," Faith admitted sullenly.

 

Annalyse nodded as her mind began planning an attempt to rescue their new allies and friends. "The vampire said they would go without a fight. For some reason, I doubt that very much. Buffy and Willow both are fighters."

 

"Shit," Faith muttered as she started moving away from Annalyse at a jog. Looking back over her shoulder without slowing she yelled at Annalyse, "Unless they already had someone as a hostage. Damn it, no one was guarding X or Tweed!"

 

Cursing for not thinking of it herself Annalyse took to the air once more. "Get to the hospital and make sure the others are safe. I'll find Buffy and Willow."

 

With a nod from Faith, Annalyse rose into the air and began her search. She stopped and turned back to Faith. “Be careful.” She said to the slayer.

 

Faith paused a moment and grinned. “Hey. It’s me.”

 

“I know,” Annalyse said, her tone far from amused. “That’s why I said it.”

 

Faith chuckled. “Fair enough. You too.” She was off down the street at a sprint.

 

Annalyse stared after her a moment longer, then turned toward the dark Sunnydale skies.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I thought this was going to be the last chapter. I was wrong. There will be one more at least. That SHOULD be all, but well, as the titles of the last two chapters have indicated plans don't always survive.


	17. Conflict Resolution 101 or How to Pummel Your Adversary

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I couldn't have done this without the help of my Beta, Chadmaako, the assistance of my brain storming partner, MeJA, and the encouragement I have received both here and on TTH from commenters and reviewers. Thank you for joining me in this journey.

Conflict Resolution 101 or How to Pummel Your Adversary

 

Faith's vision had reduced itself down to a narrow tunnel. When she and Annalyse had realized the risk to the injured members of their group a cold panic had tried to worm its way into her. The first few minutes of her blind run to Sunnydale Memorial had been spent fighting off that cloying fear of what she would find when she finally made it to the hospital.

 

'It won't be like Diana,' she told herself repeatedly as she ran. 'I won't let it be. That bastard won't get them, too.'

 

By the time she could see the distant lights of the hospital, she had managed to shift the fear that had threatened to choke her into a fury that warmed her blood and drove her on faster than she thought possible. A few times she almost swore she felt the Slayer moving under her skin like a caged beast that wanted free to hunt and devour. On some level, Faith knew that should creep her the hell out, and it did, but deeper down she could only feel comfort. Whatever it was that made her the Slayer was agitated – _No,_ she thought. _Agitated is for people that don’t get cheese on their burger. I’m pissed the hell off!_ And the slayer within matched her sentiment. It was _furious_ that those that had her offered friendship were threatened. A small part of her mind was curious about this, Slayers were supposed to be solitary hunters after all, but the greater whole of Faith pushed it aside as unimportant.

 

An uttered, “Shit!” slipped from her lips as she dashed across the street and into the hospital's parking lot, leaving a mass of gnarled and twisted traffic behind her. The sound of rubber tearing across the pavement as wheels locked up and horns were sounded the only reason she even realized she had sprinted through traffic without looking. She could still hear drivers screaming as she slipped between the sliding glass doors of the medical facility.

 

Faith slowed her pace as she moved down the stark white halls of Sunnydale Memorial. It was well past visiting hours and getting the attention of the nursing staff was the last thing she needed. They wouldn't throw her out, not for lack of trying, but the distraction and scene they could cause would slow down her mission to get to Giles and Xander and ensure their safety. So she forced herself to adopt a casual, but still rapid, walk as she moved down the hall to the elevator.

 

Slipping into the lift, she found herself joined by two women dressed in the white coats that seemed so in favor with the medical professionals of Sunnydale. She still found it a bit odd as she remembered both nurses and doctors alike preferring the colorful and oft times psychedelically patterned scrubs back home in Boston during one of her frequent trips to the ER as a child. Sussing out that they had nothing to do with herself or her friends, Faith tuned them out, ignoring their incessant babbling about the brother of one of them and his joining Doctors Without Borders.

 

'Yeah, yeah, good for him. Can't this thing go any quicker,' Faith silently complained.

 

Faith pushed her way past the doctors and the doors when they opened on the fourth floor with only a mumbled, “Scuse me,” and resumed her sprint walk.

 

She came to Xander's room first and pushed the door open to reveal an empty room. Faith's lips tightened as she checked the bathroom to make sure Xander wasn't simply out of bed and found it empty. Lips pursing together and eyes narrowing, Faith made a beeline for Giles room, dropping all pretense of casualness as she ran full out to the other room. When she slammed the door open in her haste she was greeted by a shrill scream and a muttered, “Dear Lord!”

 

Faith felt all the tension in her body ratcheted back down to more tolerable levels as she found Xander sitting in a chair next to Giles' bed, the Englishman awake and cleaning his glasses with his bed sheets.

 

“Faith, what is the meaning of this?” Giles queried as he put his glasses back on. “Not that I don't appreciate visitors but it is rather late, don't you agree?”

 

Faith rolled her eyes as she leaned back against the door and blew out the breath she didn't remember holding. “Yeah, well, what can I say? English without the tweed. Just couldn't keep myself from racing here,” she answered with a smirk.

 

Giles started to sputter and turn red, his glasses quickly falling victim to his habitual cleaning once again. Faith noticed that though she had managed to distract Giles, Xander's attention was firmly on her, his eyes narrowed as if trying to discern some great mystery. “So what, Buffy think I couldn't sit in a hospital by myself now? Send you to make sure I didn't get Giles hurt visiting him,” he finally snarked.

 

Faith swallowed down the anger that welled up in her and bit it back, reminding herself he had cause to feel slighted by the others. “No, B didn't ask me to come,” she told him. Seeing his eyes start to light up with another assumption she quickly moved to cut it off at the pass, telling him, “And neither did Red. Hell, no one told me to come here 'cept me. Same with anywhere I go or don't. So stop with the wounded pride shit, it's not all about you.”

 

“Oh, so it's all about you then? Is that it? Came here just to make sure I stay in bed like a good boy, Faith? I thought you were on my side,” Xander said, his voice quickly growing louder with each word.

 

“Shut it, X,” Faith growled out. “It ain't about you or me. It's about Buffy and Willow and making sure they can do what they gotta do.”

 

Xander flushed red at being told to shut up then his anger washed over him again, “What the hell do they have to do, Faith? I took down Kakistos! No more big bad. Game Over. Catastrophe averted!”

 

Faith shot a glare to Xander pinning him in place as she broke the news to the teen in a cold and quiet voice. “Kakistos is still alive.”

 

Xander noticeably paled, his skin fading to a pearlescent white as his eyes opened up impossibly wide. Giles coughed and Faith heard one of his lenses pop out from the frame where he held his glasses. “Some of his vamps came after A' an' me. Big mothers, like the one you told us about dusting. All clawed hands and hoofs for feet. I get why you thought it was Kakistos, only it wasn't him. Don't know how or where he dug these guys up, but they showed up and blew up A's house.”

 

“When you say 'blew up', you mean like a balloon in a cartoon?” said with a slight tremble running through his hands.

 

Faith shook her head, “No, I mean like 'nuke it from orbit, it's the only way to be sure,' blown up.”

 

“And Buffy and Willow?” Giles finally asked, his face nearly as white as Xanders. Only instead of fear in his eyes, there was a calm certainty mixed with anger. “What of them? You said you were here so they could do what needed to be done.”

 

“A's out lookin for 'em now. One of the vamps said they'd go to Kakistos without a fight. A' didn't believe it but then I thought of you two,” Faith said to the Watcher, meeting his eyes and willing him to understand.

 

Giles nodded and lay back in bed, “Then all we can do for now is wait and pray they will come back to us.”

 

“Hell with that,” Xander exclaimed as he started to push himself out of his seat. “You two can sit here and wait like good little boys and girls, I'm going to..”

 

Xander found himself forced back into his seat before he could finish, Faith's hand on his shoulder and holding him in place. Her eyes were a tapestry of frustration and sympathy as she looked down at one of only two completely normal members of their group. The only normal one if you counted Giles experience and training as a Watcher. She didn't count Toyboy's girl since she hadn't seen her do anything other than ditching a meeting so far. His own return glare was pure anger at being stopped so easily.

 

“You'll do what, X? Ride off to the rescue? Save the girl so she finally realizes what a stud you are? So she apologizes for wanting to keep her friend safe?” Faith's voice whipped out tearing at Xander's wounded pride further. “How you going ta do that X? You already got a busted hand and head. What's next? A leg? How 'bout we let Kakistos and his vamps rip one of your arms off?”

 

“Doesn't matter,” Xander all but screamed at her. “I've got to do something to help them!”

 

“Then sit down and stop acting like a petulant child, Xander,” the icy voice of the Watcher lanced out at him. “Your bravery is admirable and your ability to keep hope even when things grow their darkest even more so. But running off with neither a plan nor the means to implement one will only give rise to a distraction that neither Buffy nor Willow need right now.”

 

Xander moved to refute his status as a distraction when Faith cut him off, her tone much warmer than before, “X-man, you ain't the only one that can help keep those two alive. A's out there and she'll take care of 'em. You did your part already, it's time to let them do theirs.”

 

Xander watched her for what felt like an eternity before finally nodding and relaxing back into his seat. Silence descended on the room as the three warriors sat in quiet vigil hoping for the best.

 

(***)

 

Willow couldn't think of a time she was more terrified than right in that moment. When Drusilla had led her attack on the school it had happened so fast that she never had a chance to feel the overwhelming terror rise up in her. She thought she had felt fear when she realized Angelus could come into her home upon finding her dead fish, but that was a problem solved quickly and rather easily with the disinvite spell. The first time she saw Oz transform into his wolfman form had even been startling, but with a cage between them, not truly frightening.

 

Now, walking into the lair of an ancient vampire with four of his goons – and she couldn't think of them as anything else as large as they were – surrounding them she felt real terror. They had forced Buffy to relinquish her weapons. Both her lightsabers and her stakes had been left crushed to nothing more than scraps and left on Giles lawn. Both of them had been forced to remove their crosses as well, which had been tossed amongst the pile of ruined weaponry. Then they proceeded to gag Willow, which she didn't understand. They didn't gag Buffy or blindfold either of them. Gagging her alone meant something, Willow knew that but what she hadn't worked out.

 

Kakistos lair turned out to be one of the upscale mansions in one of Sunnydale's richer neighborhoods. For a moment, Willow had a guilty fantasy that it was Cordelia's house and that the vampires had slaughtered the brunette and her family before moving in. She quickly chided herself for it and pushed the thought aside as they were led through the mansion into what Willow could only think of as a sitting room.

 

The room itself was fairly large with a massive fireplace situated on the wall across from the door leading into the room. Fire danced in its depths throwing dancing shadows all around the room. Candles sat on various shelves and tables adding their own light. For creatures with such a negative reaction to fire, Willow found it odd that they would have so many open sources of it in their home. It seemed counterproductive.

 

Her musings were ripped away when a voice spoke from a shadow enveloped chair. It was thick and heavy as if the owner of the voice was so ancient that even his words had gained mass over the centuries and could break those that heard him speak with his voice alone.

 

“Finally, my guests have arrived,” the shadow wrapped speaker said. “I must admit after your efforts at the warehouse I had expected you to be taller, Slayer,” he added disdainfully.

 

Buffy glared at the spot the voice was coming from, “And I expected you to be less of a cliché. Guess we all get to be disappointed.”

 

“Cliche,” the voice said with a hint of wonder as if he truly couldn't comprehend what she meant, “And pray tell, just how am I a cliché, Slayer?”

 

“Gee, let me count the ways,” Buffy retorted with a snort. “Big spooky mansion with no lights, just candles everywhere like you live in the dark ages still. You, all sitting in the shadows and not letting anyone see you while you taunt us. Then with the kidnapping of my mom to use as a hostage.” She paused to roll her eyes, crossing her arms in front of herself. “Seriously, do all vampires read out of the same instruction book? Megalomania for Dummies?”

 

The reaction she got was not what she was expecting. No taunts, insults, or blind anger came at her. The figure did not blindly lash out thinking to take the diminutive blonde by surprise. Instead, a great rolling laugh emanated from where their host sat in the shadows, filling the room with its booming tones.

 

“Ms. Summers, thank you for that amusement,” the voice said to her in the most genuine if still evil tones possible. “You have proven once more how readily you Americans jump to conclusions. If anything, you are the cliché here, not I.”

 

The laughter came again sending chills down Willow's spine making her only all the more terrified. It had the opposite reaction on Buffy, however. Every muscle in her body tightened and she veritably shook with anticipation of attacking and dusting the owner of the voice. Before she could lose that thin thread of self-control that kept her from leaping without thought to consequences, the voice spoke again as the laughter died off.

 

“Perhaps you would like me to explain before I drain you dry, Slayer?” The voice asked with amusement. “First, the candles are quite the necessity. Not all of the city has had power restored after last night's little blackout. This neighborhood is one such location. If we did have power, I would still use some candles and torches as they do lend to the ambiance rather nicely, however I would have the lights on in the majority of the house. Modern electricity is so much safer after all.”

 

Listening to what she mentally dubbed 'Bad Guy Monologue Number 31' Willow concentrated and reached out with her power. Almost immediately she could tell the vampire wasn't telling the whole truth. She couldn't feel the level of electricity she should if the house was connected to the power grid, but there was something. It was faint, weak even, but it was there and she could pull from it so easily now that she felt it. Keeping that faint touch on the electricity flowing around them, Willow turned her attention back to the room and the continued speech the vampire was giving.

 

They could hear the sound of the figure shifting in his seat as he continued, “Second, I am sitting in the dark but I do not see how I am taunting you, at least not before now. I was simply stating a fact when I said I expected you to be taller. I suppose all figures who's legends far supersede their truth cause that bit of dissonance, though. Many people expected Napoleon to be taller, after all.”

 

The voice chuckled slightly before continuing on, “And lastly, your mother. I am forced to assume you believe I hold her because one of my worshipers offered you some proof of this? Perhaps a photograph of some sort?” Another chuckle followed this as Buffy frowned, her fists tightening by her sides. “While I myself do detest the world's growing reliance on such novelties as a computer, I do have one worshiper who is quite skilled in their use. I would be a poor god indeed if I did not make use of all the abilities and skills of my worshipers, wouldn't you agree?”

 

Buffy didn't get what she was being told, it flew past her without her even so much as flinching as her anger rose inside her, armoring her against any supposed tricks and ploys the ancient vampire might use to defeat her. Willow got what he was saying, though. As the realization sunk in she tried to tell Buffy through the gag but it only came out mumbled and incoherent. At last a flicker of motion from the shadows brought one of the vampires behind Willow and he quickly removed her gag.

 

“Buffy, oh my god, he doesn't have your mom. He never had your mom. It was a trick! They didn't need to have her only make you think they had her. So they got a picture of her and used that. It was all a lie to get you to come here without fighting,” she quickly babbled out.

 

Buffy snapped her gaze from their capture in the corner to Willow, confusion settling over her features, “Willow, what are you talking about?”

 

Willow's eyes grew wide as she spat out the simple truth of what had happened and Buffy's joined them in shock as Willow explanation sank in.

 

“Buffy, he photoshopped your mom!”

 

Buffy stood there wide eyed for several minutes. None of the vampires so much as twitched when she finally started to laugh, the sound so unlike what they heard from their victims in the past. Buffy's mouth twisted into a mockery of a smile as she laughed, the sound whipping from high and manic to low and deep.

 

“They... He doesn't have Mom,” she finally forced out between her laughs. “They just took us to their leader for no reason?”

 

Willow, still wide eyed in shock from her friend's outburst could only slowly nod in agreement. When Buffy nearly fell over in her laughter Willow quickly dropped to her knees to catch her now manic friend. “Oh god, I'm so sorry I didn't realize it, Buffy. I should have seen it before, but I didn’t get a very good look at the picture,” she muttered to her friend as she held the laughing and seemingly insane blonde.

 

(***)

 

The Mayor had simply lifted an eyebrow and nodded when Mr. Trick asked if he could use his computer. When the vampire quickly logged into a site that the Mayor had never heard of he only shrugged. He wasn't a great lover of modern computing and he had people to handle it for him after all. It wasn't surprising there was something on the internet he was unfamiliar with. When a video started that showed the blonde Slayer and her redheaded friend with four vampires standing behind them, the Mayor started to smile.

 

The two of them watched in companionable silence as Kakistos and Buffy had their back and forth. The Mayor frowned when the ancient vampire referred to himself as a god and his minions as his worshipers. A glance to Mr. Trick only elicited a small smile and shrug as if saying, 'What can I say, he's the boss,' and nothing else. A chuckle did escape as the vampire broke apart the Slayer's assumptions of the situation and a true laugh grew out of that when he revealed that he never had the Slayer's mother, only the threat of it. It was a plan worthy of even himself in the Mayor's opinion. And he couldn't find fault in Kakistos estimation of Americans, at least the newer generation.

 

When the Slayer cracked, her laughter spilling out of the speakers, the Mayor frowned. He turned to see Mr. Trick smiling broadly as if showing him the wonders of the universe and his frown deepened.

 

“You do realize, you are now well and truly unemployed,” the Mayor asked Mr. Trick.

 

When Mr. Trick's smile was replaced by a look of confusion the man known as Richard Wilkins the Third simply shrugged and pointed to the screen. “Watch and learn why I have never directly moved against the Slayer, Mr. Trick. Hopefully, you will learn something of use to you when you begin working for me.”

 

(***)

 

The four vampires stood befuddled at the blondes seeming break in her sanity. They knew their master had choreographed out this entire meeting, from the Slayer's apparent victory over his army down to the mental manipulation needed to bring her here to him. By now her allies should be so much empty blood sacks on the ground. Still, having spent their undead lives in fear of the Slayer before Kakistos had granted them their power the sudden shattering of her will seemed unbelievable to them.

 

Kakistos did not share their disbelief or doubts. He stood and strode forward, a twisted grin playing on his lips as his scarred visage became clear to the two mortals for the first time since their arrival. “Yes, Slayer, you walked into my parlor like the fly. So willingly into the web that I spun to trap you. I am so very pleased to see you accept your place so easily.”

 

Buffy never gave him a chance to wipe his smirk off of his face before she struck. Like a snake she uncoiled from the ground and launched herself at Kakistos, both of her fists impacting with his solar-plexus and driving him off of his feet and into and through the wall.

 

“So happy to hear that Kaki-breath,” Buffy chirped. “It's a relief to know that at least one vampire out there accepts that I'm going to dust them.”

 

As Kakistos shouted the obligatory, “Kill her!” Willow latched onto that thread of electricity and pulled on it. Knowing she wouldn't get much she didn't bother trying to channel it into the vampires that surrounded her and Buffy. She focused it into herself supercharging her own physical prowess as she prepared to fight. She knew she couldn't keep this up for long, the meager levels of electricity once available already drained. She could only hope it was enough.

 

Buffy pressed herself against her back and passed her a piece of wood, once the leg of one of the pieces of furniture in the room. “You ready, Wills?”

 

Willow wanted to beg, scream, and cry to her best friend that no she wasn't. She was the group's nerd, the bookworm, research girl, she wasn't action girl. That was Buffy's department, not the shy redhead's. Instead, she nodded, a tight grimace forming on her lips.

 

“Always, Buffy.”

 

(***)

 

They watched Buffy launch herself into Kakistos chest, slamming him backward. The Slayer was in mid-taunt when the feed died and left Mr. Trick cursing. Mayor Richard Wilkins the Third leaned back in his chair and smiled.

 

Once more the Slayer would clean up a potential fiasco for him. He had never moved against the Summers girl simply because she had proven to be such a reliable deterrent to things that could prove ill for the health of his small city. After all, it wouldn't do for someone to end the world before he could, would it?

 

(***)

 

Willow twisted away as the first vampire launched itself at her, bringing both her hands down in a hammer blow like she had learned from Xander when they were still young and he and Jessie were still obsessed with wrestling. The vampire hit the ground with a thud. He then found himself being lifted back into the air when he tried to rise to all fours as Willow kicked out, driving her foot into his ribs.

 

Before she could drop down and try to drive the stake into his chest, something she wasn't sure she could do after hearing about Xander’s encounter with just one of these powered up vamps, she felt a hand wrap into her hair and yank her back from her victim. The second vampire pulled her up off the floor by her hair then slammed her face-first into the floor. Wood cracked under the impact leaving her with a bloodied nose.

 

Disoriented, Willow could feel herself being lifted off the floor but couldn't figure out how to stop herself from being driven back into it a second time. Her most coherent thought was, 'I hope Buffy is doing better.'

 

(***)

 

Buffy didn't wait to let the vampires come at her first. She threw herself into the fight, leading with an elbow strike to one vampires nose and shattering it while bringing her knee up to impact with the second vampire's gut. Dropping down she swept the legs out from under the one she had elbowed then rose, her elbow again leading the charge as she met the face of the second vampire.

 

“Better than me without my toys,” Buffy shouted as she attacked. “What the hell does she know?” A left jab then a right hook twisted around the still standing vampire. “I ask you, does it look like I _need_ a lightsaber to take you on?” She demanded as she grabbed the vampire's hair with one hand and guided his head down to her rising knee. “Just my fists and a good solid piece of wood. That's it!” She yelled as she slammed the stake into his chest and the vampires waiting heart.

 

Buffy started to turn back to her other opponent when she found herself suddenly on the ground having been slammed into from behind. Sneezing as the dust that had once been on the floor tried to invade her nose, Buffy threw her head backward into the waiting face of the vampire that had tackled her. “What the hell! Now I've got _dust_ dust on my clothes! In my hair! It wasn't enough for you to get yourself all over me when you dust, you had to get regular dust in my hair too?”

 

The vampire vaguely wondered who ordered the banshee as he felt himself lifted into the air before an express trip into the floor rendered him completely insensate.

 

(***)

 

Enough was enough for Willow. The vampire that had grabbed her hair had slammed her into the floor twice now and it was really starting to hurt. Forcing the cobwebs from her mind she tried to remember some of the training she had gotten from Buffy but for the life of her she couldn't. What she did remember were the Karate Kid movies that Xander and Jessie had made her watch once upon a time.

 

“Man can't walk, man can't fight,” she mumbled then lashed out with one foot at the vampire's kneecap, shattering it.

 

The subsequent howl of rage and pain sounded like music to Willow. It was really loud and angry music that she would never _ever_ admit to listening to or liking because good girls didn't like loud and angry music, but it _was_ music. Picking herself back up off the floor where she landed as the vampire went down, she unknowingly followed Buffy's lead and slammed her knee into the vampire's face twice, driving him to his back. Scooping up her stake she took a small amount of petty revenge by kicking him in the head, twice, before dropping down to drive the stake home into his heart with all of her weight and electrically enhanced strength.

 

For a moment, Willow thought the stake wouldn't penetrate deep enough to reach the vampires heart. Then it slid home and the enhanced vampire dusted, dropping Willow to her knees fully as she sucked in a deep breath. She never got to finish taking it as the vampire’s partner palmed her head like a baseball and lifted her off the ground.

 

(***)

 

 

 

Kakistos pulled himself off the floor of the room he had landed in and pushed through the hole his body had made in the wall. He arrived back into the sitting room in time to see the Blonde drive a stake home into one of his childe worshipers leaving only one left still dust free. He could make more, their destruction in and of itself was of no consequence to the ancient vampire. Childer were mere pawns to be used and sacrificed as he saw fit to serve his needs and plans. It was expected they would meet their final deaths painfully at the hands of his enemies if not himself.

 

No, the roar of rage Kakistos let loose as he stepped back into the room was not for his destroyed minions. It was because the blonde refused to accept her place at his feet. She had dared to strike him in his home after he had proven to her his superiority.

 

“You will see the futility of this, Slayer! Before I drain you, you will worship me like the inconsequential sack of blood you are,” he roared.

 

Buffy turned to glare at him, her face a portrait of contained fury. “If I'm so inconsequential, what's with the measuring contest? Did the other vampires make fun of your fangs, Kaki-breath? Tell you they weren't big enough?”

 

Kakistos roared again and charged the diminutive blonde that dared to taunt him. Buffy stood her ground until the last moment then stepped to the side and drove her knee up into his stomach.

 

Kakistos looked down at her and smirked.

 

“Is this the best the vaunted Golden Slayer can do?” He asked before wrapping his three-clawed hand around her neck and lifting her into the air. “You are a weakling not even fit to be turned!”

 

Buffy scratched at the clawed hand gripping her throat trying to break the hold. When she heard Willow cry out in pain her attempt to escape grew more frantic as she started to kick Kakistos blindly. The vampire looked at her with disdain before throwing her into a wall with a casual flick of his wrist.

 

Shaking her head, Buffy pushed herself into a sitting position and saw Willow being manhandled – or _vamp_ handled as the case may be – by the remaining member of Kakistos little posse. He was slamming her head into the floor repeatedly. Kakistos was looking at her with a smile as she watched her friend beaten down by his minion.

 

(***)

 

Far above Sunnydale, a lone figure hung in the sky. Annalyse Elizabeth Winters, Kryptonian, Luthor, and Star Sapphire scanned the city trying to find her friends. She was never as skilled as her biological mother and her cousin in filtering through the information her enhanced senses fed to her. She had learned to block off and ignore most things, treating it like white noise. It was a necessity when your hearing could pick up what was occurring miles away in crystal clear stereo. She never mastered filtering it much to her current frustration.

 

“Think, Anna! There has to be a way to track them,” she muttered as she scanned the city with her telescopic vision. She could speed through the city and track down the wayward blonde and redhead, but she already had expended a portion of her solar reserves in her own fight this evening. Not knowing where they were or how long it would take to find them, she didn't want to expend the rest of it. That left her with her more passive Kryptonian gifts and her ring.

 

Her ring...

 

Annalyse looked down at the violet power ring and silently cursed herself for not thinking of it first thing.

 

“Ring, can you detect Buffy Summers and trace her location?”

 

Annalyse held her breath as she awaited the answer. The rings could detect and track those suited to wear them over vast intergalactic distances when necessary. Surely it could find her here within the city.

 

“Affirmative, Star Sapphire Winters,” the ring answered then displayed a holographic map of Sunnydale, a pulsing glowing dot showing the location of Buffy.

 

“Time to go save the girl,” Annalyse said as she accelerated away, the sonic boom echoing far above Sunnydale.

 

(***)

 

“Do you understand now, little Slayer? Your one chance to best me was wasted. You do not have the strength to face me and live. Give yourself....”

 

Kakistos second attempt at monologuing was abruptly cut short as the walls of the mansion disintegrated. Kakistos felt his world explode into a kaleidoscope of pain that he had not felt since he had been truly alive as something moving at speeds in the vicinity of Mach 5 pounded into him and sent him careening backward and into four separate walls before he found himself flying through the air outside. His sudden foray into unassisted flight was cut short when he found himself embedded in the side of a pickup.

 

“Why don't we shut up now? Story time is over,” Annalyse said with a growl. “And you!” she shouted, turning her stare to meet the eyes of the vampire holding Willow. “Go away.”

 

Annalyse's eyes lit up red the instant before two lances of heat lashed out to strike the vampire in the eyes. The undead beast roared as it dropped Willow to the floor and turned away from the Half-Kryptonian's heat vision. With Willow out of harm's way, Annalyse rocketed forward, her fists slamming into the vampire one after another. The rain of blows powdered bone and ripped flesh but was far from fatal to the monster. Much to the vampire’s blissful thanks that came when she tore his head from his body with her bare hands, letting the dust settle to the ground where he once stood.

 

Annalyse drew in a breath, calming herself after the brief extermination. A quick glance around the room found Buffy kneeling over Willow's bloody form. A ring of dark bruising already was forming around the blonde's neck and Annalyse knew that speaking had to be painful, but that was what Buffy was doing.

 

“Oh god, Willow, I'm so sorry. I should never have drug you into this. Oh god, please please, don't die. You can't die on me! I need my best friend here.”

 

Annalyse walked over and dropped to her knees across from Buffy. She lay one hand on the blonde's gently to get her attention. When her horse rambling stopped and her eyes flickered up to meet Annalyse's she nearly had to swallow down the heartache she felt.

 

“Calm, Buffy, calm. I can heal the worst of her injuries with my ring,” she told her.

 

With a nod, Buffy leaned back on her knees, folding her hands in her lap as she looked on with concern but growing hope. Annalyse held her hands over the broken form of Willow and willed her ring to heal the redhead. She let the knowledge of the jagged and torn hole her death would leave in the tiny blonde kneeling across from her guide the energies of the ring. This was its purpose, its reason for existing.

 

Slowly the violet light of the ring enveloped Willow, suffusing her entire being. Buffy watched on as the most grievous of her best friends injuries closed and healed before her eyes. Her own NECK system greatly advanced her healing abilities, which meant the bruising around her throat would be gone in less than an hour, but the speed she was seeing Willow heal under the power of Annalyse's ring was astonishing. As the wounds closed, the light faded and Annalyse sat back, a thin sheen of sweat forming on her forehead.

 

“I've done all I can for her. She'll live and is only sleeping now,” she told the still troubled blonde.

 

Buffy started to nod when the wall exploded inwards. Shrapnel rained down on them, Annalyse barely having time to erect a barrier with the continually draining power of her ring. Standing where the wall once was, Kakistos glared at the group of girls.

 

“I shall destroy you all for this insolence!”

 

Annalyse looked to Buffy who moved to take Willow into her lap, giving the other blonde a curt nod. Taking that as permission to end things, Annalyse dropped the force field and stood to face Kakistos.

 

“I do believe, I told you,” she started before accelerating into him again and driving her fist straight into his mouth, “to shut up!”

 

Kakistos staggered back under the blow from the second angry blonde and snarled. “You are strong, but not strong enough! My bones have stood the test of centuries, nothing of this earth can break them! I am immune to the frailties that plague my kind! My neck cannot be severed nor my chest penetrated! I can walk amongst the rays of the sun if I must! You have nothing that can even begin to do me harm!”

 

Annalyse smiled and tilted her head, “Nothing of this earth, huh?”

 

The cheerful look Kakistos was receiving suddenly struck something in the ancient vampires psyche. It was old, as old as the vampire itself, and long forgotten as the centuries turned. Nothing had given the vampire even pause for concern let alone rose as a true threat to his power and nobility for so long, that he had thought such a simple thing to be a half-forgotten memory of his mortal life. Now as that long buried survival instinct started to hack, cough and scream at him as it worked to unbury itself from the vampires ego that had long since squashed it into silence...Kakistos felt fear.

 

Annalyse let her energy blade form from her ring, it's glowing violet form lighting up the room. Kakistos watched it, knowing how deadly the other blonde was with similar blades. It was why he had insisted his servants remove them from her before bringing her before him. He quickly started determining how to handle this threat when the world vanished.

 

Annalyse smiled as her heat vision drained the last of her solar reserves and the ancient vampire fell to dust in the wind. Turning back to the other two girls she could see Willow waking up as Buffy gently cradled her upper body. Smiling she had her ring tap into the cell phone network and dialed Faith's phone as a violet construct in the form of a cell phone formed next to her head.

 

“Yeah, I got them. Uh huh, he's dust, for sure this time. Uh huh. Okay, we'll wait for you. Hurry up.”

 

Letting the construct drop away, Annalyse moved to help Buffy and Willow stand and gave them both a smile. “Come on, let's go outside and wait for Faith. Giles wants to make sure we get anything dangerous out of here before something else has the chance to.”

 

The two girls gave their visitor from another dimension a smile. They had all lost something recently. Two, the last of their family, the other the facade of innocence that she had once wrapped herself in. On her way was another who had lost the only person she had ever trusted. Yet all had found something greater than their individual pains in each other.

 

As Faith arrived and gave the obviously tired group a smile and a shake of her head none of them could help but to return it.

 

(***)

 

Many miles away, Whistler slowly blinked away the darkness that had been enveloping him. He had no clue what the madman with the eye patch had used to render him unconscious. He did know that it hadn't been pleasant in the least bit.

 

Slowly sitting up, Whistler took in his surroundings. He could feel the biting chill of the air on his skin, though it was not nearly cold enough to be a real problem for him. The fact that he was protected from the howling wind he could hear rattling against the metallic hull of the wrecked airplane that he found himself in wasn't a great indicator that the same would be true when he tried to leave.

 

Searching the floor around him he quickly found his hat and jacket and slipped them both on. Feeling a weight in the pocket of his jacket that shouldn't be there, Whistler reached in to hit and pulled a slim cell phone out. Puzzled over what use it would be since it didn't show any bars for reception he was about to toss it to the side when the screen flickered and the face of the man he had come to detest appeared.

 

"Well, ya didn't give me as much as I wanted, Whistler, and that makes me an unhappy man," Fury's image said. "Still, I don't see a need to remove you from the board just yet. So take your time and decide whose side you're on in this world."

 

Whistler grunted, ignoring the thinly veiled threat the man's image issued. "In the meantime, you'll notice you're a bit chilled. Ta' be expected. Now, it may not look like it, but the pilots of that plane walked out of here. Given that you're a bit more...resilient, you should have no problems. Goodbye Mr. Whistler, you best hope I don't see you again."

 

The image of Fury vanished leaving a black screen, the phone now dead to the world. Whistler cursed under his breath, tossing the phone deeper into the plane. Oh, how he missed being the inconsequential man.

 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter marks a first for me. The first story I started and the first story I completed. While this story is done, the universe as a whole is not. Following the finale of this story Chapter 2 of Beaten Blue will be picking up the tale and continuing the journey. I hope you all will join me for that and I look forward to exploring this universe with you, my readers.


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